Effect of Vitamin D and Calcium on Genes in the Colon

November 17, 2011 updated by: Rockefeller University

High vs. Low Calcium Intake in the Presence of High Vitamin D: Effect on Gene Expression in the Colon

The researchers are involved in a research program to understand how vitamin D and calcium in the diet or as supplements may lower the risk of colorectal polyps and cancer. To that end, the researchers are conducting a study of vitamin D supplementation in which volunteer subjects are provided a Western style diet for 2 separate 4 week periods at the Rockefeller University Hospital. During one of these 4 week inpatient periods, subjects receive calcium supplements and during the other 4 week inpatient period they receive a placebo tablet. The researchers determine changes within the colon as a result of supplementing the vitamin D in the presence of high and low calcium. A more detailed description of the study is provided below.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Study subjects participate for about 3 months. During this time, there is one outpatient visit, a 4 week inpatient period, a 4 week outpatient period known as a wash out period and finally another 4 week inpatient period. During the inpatient periods, the Rockefeller University Hospital (RUH) becomes your home. The subject must sleep here every night and consume all the food provided. During the screening visit, blood and urine samples will be taken and an EKG (electrocardiogram) and a complete physical exam will be done. After enrollment into the study, the first 4 week inpatient period begins. You may continue to go to work or do other activities as long as you eat the diet provided and sleep at the Rockefeller University Hospital. You must eat everything that we give you and you may not substitute or supplement the diet in any way. During each 4 week stay at the Rockefeller University Hospital, there will be three flexible sigmoidoscopies done and biopsies taken of the mucosal lining of the colorectum. This procedure is painless and takes about 5 minutes. In addition, blood samples will be taken every few days for follow-up and research, and two 24 hour urine samples will be done on separate days during the hospitalization. Vital signs are measured every day and your weight will be measured three times per week. During the four week wash out period, the subject will return to their home, go about their normal activities and consume their normal diet. The subject will return to the Rockefeller University Hospital for the second 4 week inpatient period. The procedures and laboratory tests are the same during the second inpatient period. The study concludes with the subjects' discharge from the RUH.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

10

Phase

  • Phase 1

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

    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10021
        • Rockefeller University Hospital

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

Ages Eligible for Study

48 years to 72 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Volunteers with a history of pre-cancerous colorectal polyps and/or have a family history of pre-cancerous polyps or colon cancer
  2. Not taking any medications known to affect either calcium metabolism or colon function
  3. Between the ages of 48 and 72 years old
  4. Have had pre-cancerous colorectal polyps or have first or second degree relatives with colorectal cancer and are therefore at increased risk for the disease

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Personal history of cancer other than non-melanoma skin cancer
  2. Diseases of the bowel such as intestinal malabsorption or inflammatory bowel disease
  3. Prior gastrointestinal surgery including gastrectomy, small or large bowel resections. (If one has had an appendectomy or surgery of the esophagus, he/she is still eligible.)
  4. Any excessive bleeding or clotting disorders
  5. Taking blood thinners
  6. Abnormalities of or conditions predisposing one to abnormalities of calcium metabolism. (This includes untreated hyperparathyroidism [increase in parathyroid function] and history of milk-alkali syndrome, a type of calcium metabolism disease.)
  7. Untreated hyperthyroidism (increase in thyroid function)
  8. Regularly take greater than 660 mg of aspirin per day. This is greater than two tablets of 325 mg regular strength aspirin or greater than one tablet of 500 mg of extra strength aspirin per day. (If one has been taking aspirin for heart or blood vessel protection regularly for at least one month before his/her first screening visit, he/she will remain on the same amount of medicine throughout the study. The following amounts are acceptable:

    • Aspirin 1 to 2 regular tablets (325 mg) per day, or
    • Baby aspirin 1 tablet (81 mg) per day
  9. Regularly take daily dosages of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) within the last 3 months. (One example of an NSAID is ibuprofen.)
  10. Taking greater than 1200 mg of dietary calcium daily
  11. Taking medications called sterol-binding resins, such as cholestyramine (Questran®), which is for the treatment of high blood cholesterol
  12. Taking other investigational drugs or multiple other medications that might, in the opinion of the investigator, affect the study measurements.
  13. Other serious illness(es) that are anticipated to limit life expectancy to less than 6 months
  14. Elevated blood pressure greater than 160/100 mmHg
  15. HIV positive
  16. Pregnant or nursing
  17. A history of kidney stones
  18. Liver disease and/or kidney disease
  19. Diabetes mellitus
  20. High "bad" cholesterol level, low density lipoprotein (LDL) greater than 175 mg/dl or triglyceride levels greater than 600 mg/dl
  21. Known history of coronary artery disease
  22. EKG (electrocardiogram is a record of the electrical activity of the heart) changes consistent with a past heart attack (myocardial infraction)
  23. Currently taking:

    • Antidiabetic medication
    • Hormone replacement therapies, oral, injected or implanted contraceptives. (Thyroid hormone replacement is allowed as long as one's thyroid test is normal.)
    • Vitamin, mineral, fish oil, and herbal supplementation and weight control medication must be stopped at least 1 month prior to enrolling in the study.

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: placebo and Calcitriol
placebo tablets together with an oral tablet of 1, 25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 (Calcitriol)
Placebo tablets twice daily together with an oral tablet of 1, 25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 (Calcitriol)
Active Comparator: 2
calcium together with an oral tablet of 1, 25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 (Calcitriol)
Calcium twice daily together with an oral tablet of 1, 25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 (Calcitriol)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Gene expression related to proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation of human rectal mucosal cells
Time Frame: end of study
end of study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Expression of additional genes involved in the cell properties noted above
Time Frame: end of study
end of study

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Peter Holt, MD, Rockefeller University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

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

November 1, 2005

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2009

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 1, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 1, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

March 2, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

November 18, 2011

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 17, 2011

Last Verified

November 1, 2011

More Information

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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