Skeletal Muscle Wasting in SARS-CoV-2 (SMW)

July 7, 2021 updated by: Frank Vandenabeele, Hasselt University

Skeletal Muscle Wasting in SARS-CoV-2 Infected ICU (Intensive Care Unit) Patients

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic causes a major burden on patient and staff admitted/working on the intensive care unit (ICU). Short, and especially long admission on the ICU causes major reductions in skeletal muscle mass (3-4% a day) and strength. Since it is now possible to reduce mortality on the ICU, short and long-term morbidity should be considered another principal endpoint after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cachexia is defined as 'a complex metabolic syndrome associated with underlying illness and characterized by loss of muscle mass'. Its clinical features are weight loss, low albumin, anorexia, increased muscle protein breakdown and inflammation. There is strong evidence that cachexia develops rapidly in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially on the ICU. Several mechanisms are believed to induce cachexia in SARS-CoV-2. Firstly, the virus can interact with muscle cells, by binding to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2). In vitro studies have shown the virus can cause myofibrillar fragmentation into individual sarcomeres, in addition to loss of nuclear DNA in cardiomyocytes. Similar results were found during autopsies. On a cellular level, nothing is known about the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on skeletal muscle cells. However, up to 19.4% of patients present with myalgia and elevated levels of creatine kinases (>200U/l), suggesting skeletal muscle injury. Moreover, patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection are shown to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein and other inflammatory cytokines which can all affect skeletal muscles. The above mentioned factors are not the only mediators by which skeletal muscle mass might be affected in SARS-CoV-2. There are other known factors to affect skeletal muscle mass on the ICU, i.e. immobilization and mechanical ventilation, dietary intake (anorexia) and inflammatory cytokines. SARS-CoV-2 infection in combination with bed rest and mechanical ventilation can lead to severe muscle wasting and functional decline resulting in long-term morbidity.

Until know there are no studies investigating acute skeletal muscle wasting in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and admitted to the ICU. As a result, there is a need of more in-depth understanding the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on muscle wasting. An optimal characterization of these effects may lead to improvement in morbidity and even mortality in the short and long term by the establishment of evidence-based rehabilitation programs for these patients.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
22

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Belgium
      • Hasselt, Belgium, 3500
        • Jessa Ziekenhuis

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age >18 years
  • SARS-CoV-2 infection
  • Expected stay to ICU of > 7 days

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Spinal cord injury
  • Chronic use of corticosteroids before hospital admission

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Skeletal muscle wasting
investigating acute skeletal muscle wasting in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and admitted to the ICU
Procedure: Muscle Biopsy
Patients will be treated for SARS-CoV-2 symptoms on the intensive care unit. During this treatment two muscle biopsies will be obtained with an interval of seven days between them.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Skeletal muscle biopsy
Time Frame: baseline
A muscle biopsy of the m. vastus lateralis will be obtained at T0, after admission on ICU to evaluate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and ICU admission on skeletal muscle fiber characteristics Muscle biopsy samples will be obtained using a minimally invasive (Bard® Mission® Core Biopsy Instrument (14G 10mm needle)) biopsy technique, under local anaesthesia
baseline
Skeletal muscle biopsy
Time Frame: Day 7
A muscle biopsy of the m. vastus lateralis will be obtained at T4, after admission on ICU to evaluate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and ICU admission on skeletal muscle fiber characteristics Muscle biopsy samples will be obtained using a minimally invasive (Bard® Mission® Core Biopsy Instrument (14G 10mm needle)) biopsy technique, under local anaesthesia
Day 7
Electrophysiological test
Time Frame: Baseline
Electrophysiological test will be performed at T0 and T1. For nerve conduction studies, one standard motor and one sensory nerve will be evaluated in both upper and lower limbs unilaterally. We define reduced CMAP and SNAP when below the lower limit of normal in both nerves of both limbs. Needle electromyography in rest will be performed unilaterally in one standard proximal and distal muscle in both upper and lower limbs. Abundant SEA was defined as the presence of sustained fibrillation potentials and/or positive sharp waves in at least two muscles of at least two limbs.
Baseline
Electrophysiological test
Time Frame: Day 7
Electrophysiological test will be performed at T0 and T1. For nerve conduction studies, one standard motor and one sensory nerve will be evaluated in both upper and lower limbs unilaterally. We define reduced CMAP and SNAP when below the lower limit of normal in both nerves of both limbs. Needle electromyography in rest will be performed unilaterally in one standard proximal and distal muscle in both upper and lower limbs. Abundant SEA was defined as the presence of sustained fibrillation potentials and/or positive sharp waves in at least two muscles of at least two limbs.
Day 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Skeletal muscle biopsy
Time Frame: Baseline
Secondary outcome from the biopsy samples will focus on muscle fiber typing, muscle fiber type-specific CSA, muscle fiber type-specific myonuclear content, muscle fiber type-specific satellite cell content, muscle fiber type-specific capillaries, muscle resident/infiltrating macrophages and others using immunohistochemical stainings. RNA analyses will be done by RT-PCR, and protein analyses by Western Blot for different markers related to oxidative stress, protein synthesis, protein degradation. Myofibrillar damage and viral cell infiltrates and other possible structural changes will be analysed using transmission electron microscopy.
Baseline
Skeletal muscle biopsy
Time Frame: Day 7
Secondary outcome from the biopsy samples will focus on muscle fiber typing, muscle fiber type-specific CSA, muscle fiber type-specific myonuclear content, muscle fiber type-specific satellite cell content, muscle fiber type-specific capillaries, muscle resident/infiltrating macrophages and others using immunohistochemical stainings. RNA analyses will be done by RT-PCR, and protein analyses by Western Blot for different markers related to oxidative stress, protein synthesis, protein degradation. Myofibrillar damage and viral cell infiltrates and other possible structural changes will be analysed using transmission electron microscopy.
Day 7
Blood sample analyses
Time Frame: daily between baseline and day 7
Standard blood work will be queried during the trial period. We will especially focus on blood marker for muscle damage (such as CK, LDH…) and inflammation (CRP, WBC…).
daily between baseline and day 7
Mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy
Time Frame: daily between baseline and day 7
the modality of oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation will be monitored each day the patient is in the trial.
daily between baseline and day 7
Dietary intake
Time Frame: daily between baseline and day 7
Dietary intake will be monitored every day the patient is within the trial. It will be monitored if the patient receives standard feeding, total parenteral feeding or others. Description: the modality of oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation will be monitored each day the patient is in the trial.
daily between baseline and day 7
concommitted medication
Time Frame: daily between baseline and day 7
All medication that the patients receive will be monitored during the period they participate within the trial.
daily between baseline and day 7
APACHE II score
Time Frame: Baseline
Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) is a severity-of-disease classification system. An integer score from 0 to 71 will be computed based on several measurements; higher scores correspond to more severe disease and a higher risk of death.
Baseline
APACHE II score
Time Frame: day 7
Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) is a severity-of-disease classification system. An integer score from 0 to 71 will be computed based on several measurements; higher scores correspond to more severe disease and a higher risk of death.
day 7
Comorbidities
Time Frame: baseline
All comorbidities will be obtained from the patients medical file.
baseline
Duration from hospital admission to ICU admission
Time Frame: baseline
The duration from hospital admission to ICU admission will be noted at T0. This will be done because the amount of days patients are already in the hospital could influence the amount of skeletal muscle atrophy in the ICU.
baseline
Symptoms of disease onset and myalgia
Time Frame: baseline
symptoms of disease onset (fever, cough, anorexia, throat pain, abdominal pain, myalgia, neurological symptoms) will be noted at T0.
baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Hasselt University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Jessa Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Frank Vandenabeele, prof. dr., Hasselt University
  • Study Chair: Sjoerd stevens, drs., Hasselt University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 2, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 3, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 3, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 4, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 4, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 7, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 8, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 7, 2021

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SMW-CoV-2

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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