A Randomized Crossover Trial of Bright Light Therapy in Crohn's Disease on Intestinal Barrier Homeostasis

Bright Light Therapy in Crohn's Disease on Intestinal Barrier Homeostasis

Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are two of the most significant chronic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and affects over 1.5 million individuals in the U.S. Recently, there has been an increased understanding of the importance of sleep and sleep disruption in IBD as a potentially modifiable risk factor. We, therefore, hypothesize that intervening with morning bright light therapy (BLT) in IBD patients with CM will decrease intestinal permeability and pro-inflammatory cytokines, positively impact intestinal microbiota, and improve quality of life (QoL).

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Bright Light Therapy; Device: Placebo Retimer Device

Detailed Description

Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are two of the most significant chronic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). IBD affects over 1.5 million individuals in the US, so identifying risk factors for disease flares is essential to avoid complications, such as hospitalizations and surgery, and to improve quality of life (QoL). Recently, there has been an increased understanding of the importance of sleep and sleep disruption in IBD as a potentially modifiable risk factor.

Bright light therapy (BLT) in IBD patients with CM may decrease intestinal permeability and pro-inflammatory cytokines, positively impact intestinal microbiota, and improve quality of life (QoL).In order to administer BLT efficiently and safely, a Re-Timer device, which is a lightweight, wearable set of glasses that emits blue-green light. Please note, the FDA has determined this device to be a General Wellness product and is not regulated by the FDA.

Prior to starting treatment, IBD patients will be screened for subclinical inflammation using a fecal calprotectin (FC) level and a blood test. If no subclinical inflammation is detected, potential subjects will be informed of their ineligibility. Eligible participants will complete questionnaires assessing their dietary habits, fatigue, sleep habits, quality of life, and severity of their underlying disease. Participants will also be provided a wrist actigraphy, which is a watch like device, to wear for 21 days to objectively assess CM prior to initiating therapy. Once the subjects demonstrate both subjective and objective evidence of CM, during their follow-up visit they will be randomly assigned to wear either the Re-Timer device to receive BLT or the placebo Re-Timer device (non BLT) for 4 weeks. Prior to and following receiving BLT or non BLT placebo, the following samples will be obtained: i) serum markers of inflammation and endotoxemia, ii) urine samples to test for intestinal permeability, and iii) stool samples to assess intestinal microbiota. These proposed studies will assess whether BLT has an impact on IBD patients' inflammation, intestinal permeability, and intestinal microbiota.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Daynia Sanchez-Bass; Phone Number: (312) 563-4981; Email: daynia_sanchez-bass@rush.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60068
      • Recruiting
      • Rush University Medical Center
      • Contact: Daynia Sanchez-Bass; Phone Number: 312-563-4981; Email: daynia_sanchez-bass@rush.edu
  • South Carolina
    • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425
      • Recruiting
      • Medical University of South Carolina
      • Contact: Katy Donovan; Phone Number: 843-792-7974; Email: donova@musc.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Garth Swanson, M.D., M.S

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Biopsy proven diagnosis of Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis
2. 18 years or older
3. Fecal Calprotectin > 50 or CRP above upper limit of normal or a PROMISE Fatigue ≥ 50
4. Has been on a stable dose of either a biologic, immunomodulator, or 5-ASA for at least 12 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Active IBD (Harvey Bradshaw Index > 5 or Modified Harvey Bradshaw Index >5)
2. Major depression (score ≥ 21 or any endorsement of suicidal intent on the Beck Depression)
3. Sleep apnea (score high risk in 2 or more categories of the Berlin Questionnaire) (43)
4. Restless leg syndrome (score ≥ 15 on the IRLS Study Group Rating Scale(44))
5. Regular use of medications that affect intestinal permeability, and/or endogenous melatonin including metoclopramide, NSAIDs, beta blockers, psychotropic medications, hypnotics and exogenous melatonin products during 4 weeks prior to the study
6. People who have worked night shifts or crossed more than 2 time zones in the previous month
7. Any major organ disease - renal impairment (creatinine>1.2 mg/dL), diabetes (Hgb-A1c > 6.5%); liver disease (LFTs > 1.5x normal), or significant cardiac failure (NY classification stage III/IV)
8. Diagnosis of narrow angle glaucoma or retinal disorders or demonstrated symptoms indicative of these diagnosis during the eligibility screening
9. Inability to sign an informed consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Bright Light Therapy via ReTimer glasses, Then Placebo; Participants will wear their device for 60 minutes every morning for 28-days (4 weeks)	Device: Bright Light Therapy; Device: Bright Light Therapy Retimer; Device: Placebo Retimer Device; Device: Placebo Retimer Device with no bright light therapy
Experimental: No Bright Light Therapy via placebo glasses, Then Bright Light Therapy; Participants will wear their placebo device for 60 minutes every morning for 28-days (4 weeks)	Device: Bright Light Therapy; Device: Bright Light Therapy Retimer; Device: Placebo Retimer Device; Device: Placebo Retimer Device with no bright light therapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in intestinal permeability (% excretion of urinary sucralose)	Participants will ingest a sugar cocktail at Visits 2-5 and complete a urine collection. Measurement of urinary sugars is done using gas chromatography is used to calculate intestinal permeability.	15 weeks
Changes in microbiota will be assessed using shotgun metagene sequencing and total microbial community DNA	At all study visits, stool samples will be collected and analyzed using shotgun metagene sequencing and total microbial community DNA will be isolated and processed for microbiome analysis.	15 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in systemic markers of barrier disruption and inflammation	Inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8) are the markers of disruption. IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α will be measured in the plasma.	15 weeks
Change in systemic markers of inflammation	markers of endotoxemia (LPS, LBP, and sCD14) will be used to assess inflammation. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein(LBP) and sCD14 will be measured in serum by high sensitivity ELISA. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) will be measured in serum using a LAL assay which is a quantitative, kinetic assay for the detection of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin.	15 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Rush University Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ali Keshavarzian, M.D., Rush University Medical Center; Principal Investigator: Garth R Swanson, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 22, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 22, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 12, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): October 13, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 5, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Intestinal Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Gastroenteritis; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Therapeutics; Phototherapy; Ultraviolet Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: 22041302

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No