Recruitment

Recruitment Status
Active, not recruiting
Estimated Enrollment
Same as current

Summary

Conditions
  • Morbid Obesity
  • Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Type
Observational
Design
Observational Model: CohortTime Perspective: Prospective

Participation Requirements

Age
Between 18 years and 125 years
Gender
Both males and females

Description

Study Design: A. Cross-sectional study: Sixty patients with morbid obesity undergoing bariatric surgery diagnosed with NAFLD on liver biopsy (30 SS, 30 NASH). Main hypothesis: The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes is higher in stool samples from morbidly obese subjects with NASH compared to SS. Othe...

Study Design: A. Cross-sectional study: Sixty patients with morbid obesity undergoing bariatric surgery diagnosed with NAFLD on liver biopsy (30 SS, 30 NASH). Main hypothesis: The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes is higher in stool samples from morbidly obese subjects with NASH compared to SS. Other differences in IM composition exist. Objective: to compare bacterial dynamics using Illumina technology to assess the IM. The relative abundance of the dominant fecal microorganisms (including Firmicutes, Archaea, Bacteroides, Bifidobacteria, Mollicutes, Enterobacteriaceae, Clostridia clusters, F. prausnitzii, Roseburia, and Lactobacilli) will also be assessed by real-time PCR. Sub-hypotheses: In NASH compared to SS, there will be: a) lower fecal butyrate concentration; b) higher endotoxin and other inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6) in plasma. Potential covariates assessed: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), measured by glucose hydrogen breath test (GHBT), which can contribute to endotoxemia and inflammation; IR, diabetes status, lipid profile, plasma vitamin E, liver enzymes, anthropometry, food intake, physical activity and environmental factors. B. Prospective cohort study: Patients undergoing bariatric surgery with either SS or NASH (up to 60 of them recruited from Part A) will be followed prospectively over 12 months to assess changes in the IM and liver histology. Goal is to have 60 subjects who complete the study with a 2nd liver biopsy. Main Hypothesis: In morbidly obese patients with NAFLD (SS or NASH), changes in IM post bariatric surgery will be associated with changes in liver histology. Specifically, an increased number of F. prausnitzii in feces with be associated with improvement in liver histology while a reduction will be associated with deterioration of liver histology. Objective: To correlate changes in liver histology (NAFLD activity score [NAS], inflammation, fibrosis, steatosis) between 0 and 12 months with changes in F. prausnitzii. Other changes of the fecal IM community structure, fecal short chain fatty acids (including butyrate), plasma endotoxin, inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6) and SIBO will also be assessed, in addition to diet, activity, weight change, improvement of diabetes and plasma vitamin E. Secondary hypotheses: Increased number of F. prausnitzii in feces will be associated with increased fecal butyrate, lower serum endotoxin and lower inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6) in plasma. Significance: In humans with morbid obesity and NAFLD undergoing bariatric surgery, very little data are available on IM and its metabolic effect and contribution to NAFLD. These studies will add more information regarding the role of IM and its effect on potential mechanisms contributing to NAFLD. It will also provide us with pilot data for future intervention studies assessing the potential use of pre- or probiotics for NAFLD in morbidly obese subjects in the setting of bariatric surgery.

Tracking Information

NCT #
NCT01856465
Collaborators
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Johane Allard, MD. FRCPC University Health Network, Toronto