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Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

NCT number NCT01745263
Other study ID # KEK-ZH-2012-0249
Secondary ID DO-HEALTH
Status Completed
Phase Phase 3
First received
Last updated
Start date December 20, 2012
Est. completion date January 19, 2018

Study information

Verified date August 2018
Source University of Zurich
Contact n/a
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority
Study type Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The European population is aging rapidly which poses a challenge on the individual, the European societies, and health care systems. Among the most promising public health interventions that may extend healthy life expectancy at older age are vitamin D, marine omega-3 fatty acids and physical exercise. However, their individual and combined effects have yet to be confirmed in a clinical trial.

The broad aim of DO-HEALTH is to prolong healthy life expectancy in European seniors. The specific aim is to establish whether vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and a simple home exercise program will prevent disease at older age.

To achieve these aims, DO-HEALTH will enroll 2152 community-dwelling men and women who are 70 years and older, an age when chronic diseases increase substantially. The DO-HEALTH seniors will be recruited from 7 European cities (Zurich, Basel, Geneva, Toulouse, Berlin, Innsbruck and Coimbra) and will be randomized in a 2x2x2 factorial design trial to a simple home exercise program and/or vitamin D, and/or omega-3 fatty acids, over a 3 year period. This will allow to test the individual and the combined benefit of the interventions in the prevention of 5 primary endpoints: incident non-vertebral fractures; functional decline; systolic and diastolic blood pressure change; cognitive decline; and the rate of any infection. Key secondary endpoints include incidence of hip fractures, rate of falls, severity of pain in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, gastro-intestinal symptoms, mental and oral health, quality of life, and mortality.

All clinical endpoints will be supported by a large DO-HEALTH biomarker study to evaluate the effect of the interventions at the cellular level of multi-organ function. DO-HEALTH will further evaluate reasons why or why not seniors adhere to the 3 interventions, and will assess their cost-benefit in a health economic model based on documented health care utilization and observed incidence of chronic disease.

website DO-HEALTH: http://do-health.eu/wordpress/


Description:

The 3 primary treatment comparisons are:

1. 2000 IU vitamin D per day compared to placebo (controlling for the other treatment strategies)

2. 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA, ratio 1:2, from marine algae) compared to placebo (controlling for the other treatment strategies)

3. Home exercise program (muscle strength) of 30 minutes 3 times a week compared to a control exercise program (joint flexibility) 30 minutes 3 times a week

Follow-up: DO-HEALTH seniors will be followed for 3 years, in-person, and in 3-monthly intervals (4 clinical visits and 9 phone calls) at the 7 recruitment centers.

Study population: DO-HEALTH will enroll seniors age 70 years and older. To represent the largest part of the senior population, DO-HEALTH will recruit community-dwelling seniors. However, to represent also the pre-frail population at risk of institutionalization, at least 40% of seniors will be enrolled based on a fall with or without a fracture in the year before DO-HEALTH enrolment.

Study Design: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2×2×2 factorial design clinical trial.

Recruitment Centers: The trial will be performed at 7 recruitment centers located in 5 countries: Switzerland (University of Zurich, Basel University Hospital, Geneva University Hospital), France (University of Toulouse Hospital Centre), Germany (Charité Berlin), Portugal (University of Coimbra), and Austria (Innsbruck Medical University).

Randomization: Stratified block randomization. Labeling of study intervention will be performed by a central randomization centre in Switzerland.

Stratification variables: recruitment centre (7 centers), fall during previous 12 months (yes/no), gender, and age (70 - 84 and 85+). At least 40% of Seniors among those who fell or did not fall during the last year will be enforced at each of the 7 recruitment centers. Gender and age distribution will be monitored within each recruitment centre with the DO-HEALTH randomization software. If gross imbalance (less than 30% of fallers/non-fallers in a stratum) is detected within a centre, recruitment strategies for the centre will be adapted to boost recruitment of participants of underrepresented category.

website DO-HEALTH: http://do-health.eu/wordpress/


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Completed
Enrollment 2157
Est. completion date January 19, 2018
Est. primary completion date November 17, 2017
Accepts healthy volunteers Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Gender All
Age group 70 Years and older
Eligibility Inclusion criteria:

- Age 70 years or older

- Mini Mental State Examination Score of at least 24

- Living in the community

- Sufficiently mobile to come to the study centre

- Able to walk 10 meters with or without a walking aid and able to get in and out of a chair without help

- Able to swallow study capsules

- Able and willing to participate, sign informed consent (including consent to analyze all samples until drop-out or withdrawal) and cooperate with study procedures

Exclusion criteria:

- Consumption of more than 1000 IU vitamin D/day in the 36 months prior to enrollment, or a bolus of 300'000 IU or more in the last 12 month prior to enrollment, and/ or unwillingness to limit vitamin D intake to the current standard of 800 IU/day of vitamin D during the course of the trial. Provision 1: an individual who consumed an average vitamin D dose between 1000 and 2000 IU vitamin D/day in the 3 months prior to enrollment, may be enrolled after a 3-month wash-out period where the maximum daily intake is limited to 800 IU vitamin D. Provision 2: an individual who consumed an average vitamin D dose higher than 2000 IU/day in the 3 months prior to enrollment, may be enrolled after a 6-month wash-out period where the maximum daily intake is limited to 800 IU vitamin D.

- Unwillingness to limit calcium supplement dose to 500 mg per day for the duration of the trial

- Taking omega-3 fat supplements in the 3 month prior to enrolment and unwilling to forgo their use for the duration of the trial

- Use of any active vitamin D metabolite (i.e. Rocaltrol, alphacalcidiol), PTH treatment (i.e. Teriparatide), or Calcitonin at baseline and unwillingness to forego these treatments during the course of the trial

- Current or recent (previous 4 months) participation in another clinical trial, or plans of such participation in the next 3 years (corresponding to DO-HEALTH length)

- Presence of the following diagnosed health conditions in the last 5 years: history of cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer); myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attack, angina pectoris, or coronary artery intervention

- Severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance = 15 ml/min) or dialysis, hypercalcaemia (> 2.6 mmol/l)

- Hemiplegia or other severe gait impairment

- History of hypo- or primary hyperparathyroidism

- Severe liver disease

- History of granulomatous diseases (i.e. tuberculosis, sarcoidosis)

- Major visual or hearing impairment or other serious illness that would preclude participation

- Living with a partner who is enrolled in DO-HEALTH (i.e. only one person per household can be enrolled)

- Living in assisted living situations or a nursing home

- Temporary exclusion: acute fracture in the last 6 weeks

- Epilepsy and/or use of anti-epileptic drugs

- Individuals who fell more than 3 times in the last month

- Osteodystrophia deformans (M. Paget, Paget's disease)

- For study centers in Germany only: persons who are institutionalized / in prison by court order (§40, Abs. 1, Art. 4, "Gesetz über den Verkehr mit Arzneimitteln").

Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms

  • Improve Healthy Ageing in Seniors; Prevent Disease at Older Age

Intervention

Drug:
Vitamin D3
2000 IU/d
Omega 3 fatty acids
Ratio EPA:DHA = 1:2 1 g/d
Procedure:
Strength Home Exercise

Flexibility Home Exercise


Locations

Country Name City State
Austria University of Innsbruck Innsbruck
France University of Toulouse - Centre de Recherche - Gérontopôle Hôpital La Grave Toulouse
Germany Charité Berlin Berlin
Portugal University of Coimbra - Clínica Universitária de Reumatologia Coimbra
Switzerland Basel University Basel
Switzerland Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève Geneva
Switzerland Centre on Aging and Mobility, University of Zurich and City Hospital Waid Zurich ZH

Sponsors (26)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
University of Zurich Charite University, Berlin, Germany, DSM Nutritional Products (Dr. Elisabeth Stöcklin PhD, Dr. Manfred Eggersdorfer PhD), Ferrari Data Solutions GmBH, Switzerland (Stephen M. Ferrari; direct data entry platform), Funding within Framework 7 research program of the European Commission (project 278588), Further collaborators and advisors at website do-health.eu, Gut Pictures, Switzerland (Benno Gut; animated exercise video), Impact Partner, Industry Partners, International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF; Prof. John Kanis, MD), Max Rubner University, Germany (Prof. Bernhard Watzl, PhD), Medical University Innsbruck, Nestlé (Michaela Höhne PhD, Irène Corthesy PhD), NOVAMEN, France (Sandrine Rival; logistic management partner), Other University Partners, Pharmalys, UK (Marieme Ba; monitoring partner), Recruitment Partners, Roche Diagnostics, SME Partners, Technische Universität Dresden, University Hospital, Toulouse, France (Prof. Bruno Vellas, MD), University of Basel, University of Coimbra, Portugal (Prof. José daSilva, MD), University of Geneva, Switzerland, University of Manchester, UK (Prof. David Felson, MD MPH), University of Sheffield

Countries where clinical trial is conducted

Austria,  France,  Germany,  Portugal,  Switzerland, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Other Biomarker endpoints Baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months
Other Bone: Incident repeat fractures Any repeat non-vertebral fractures in all participants, vertebral fractures and total fractures among subset of 1502 seniors with yearly DXA measurements 36 months
Other BONE: Functional recovery after long bone fracture 36 months
Other Muscle: Incident sarcopenia / incident frailty / decline in physical function Incident sarcopenia (among subset of 1502 seniors with yearly DXA measurements), incident frailty (questionnaire), decline in physical activity (questionnaire) 36 months
Other Cardio-vascular: Major cardio-vascular events Major cardiovascular events as a composite endpoint (any event: myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization procedures of CABG and PCI, incident congestive heart disease, cardiovascular mortality); individual endpoints: myocardial infarction, stroke, incident congestive heart disease, and cardiovascular mortality (assessed every 3 months over 36 months) 36 months
Other Brain: incident dementia 36 months
Other Immunity: Incident cancer / rate of implant infections / rate of gastro-intestinal infections Incident cancer (any cancer, gastro-intestinal, breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men); rate of implant infections after total hip or knee replacement (due to fracture or osteoarthritis); rate of gastro-intestinal infections 36 months
Other Cartilage/bone: Incident osteoarthritis Incident symptomatic knee osteoarthritis; incident symptomatic hip osteoarthritis, incident symptomatic hand osteoarthritis; composite endpoint: incident symptomatic knee, hip or hand osteoarthritis; severity of hip pain in those with prevalent symptomatic hip osteoarthritis, severity of hand pain in those with prevalent symptomatic hand osteoarthritis Baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months
Other Adherence laboratory Serum 25(OH)D concentrations (measured both by an automated assay and HPLCMS/MS) and plasma PUFA concentrations (EPA, AA, DPA, DHA; measured by a sensitive and selective assay based on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS)) in all participants Baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months
Primary Bone: Incident non-vertebral fractures over 36 months Confirmed by medical and/or x-ray reports over 36 months
Primary Muscle: Functional decline (lower extremity function) Measured with the SPPB (short physical performance test battery) Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Primary Cardio-vascular: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure change Standardized blood pressure assessment in sitting position Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Primary Brain: Cognitive decline Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Primary Immunity: Rate of any infections 3-monthly incident infection protocol Baseline, and every 3 months up to 36 months
Secondary Bone: Incident hip fractures Based on medical records and/or x-ray reports 36 months
Secondary Bone: Incident total fractures Combined non-vertebral and vertebral fractures among subgroup of 1502 participants with DXA vertebral morphometry assessment 36 months
Secondary Bone: Incident vertebral fractures Based on DXA vertebral morphometry among subset of 1502 participants 36 months
Secondary Bone: Bone mineral density decrease at the lumbar spine and hip Assessed in a subset of 1502 participants with DXA measurements Baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months
Secondary Muscle: Rate of falls Any low trauma fall, injurious fall Assessed every 3 months over 36 months
Secondary Muscle: reaction time and grip strength Reaction time will be assessed with the repeated sit-to-stand test; grip strength will be assessed with the Martin Vigorimeter Baseline, 12,24,36 months
Secondary Muscle: Muscle mass decrease at upper and lower extremities Subset of 1502 participants with DXA measurements Baseline, 12,24,36 months
Secondary Muscle: Dual tasking 10-meter gait speed Baseline, 12,24 and 36 months
Secondary Muscle/Bone: musculoskeletal pain Assessed with the McGill questionnaire Baseline, 12,24, and 36 months
Secondary Cardio-vascular: Incident Hypertension 36 months
Secondary Brain: mental health decline Assessed with Geriatric Depression Scale Baseline, 12,24, and 36 months
Secondary Brain: Incident Depression 36 months
Secondary Brain/Muscle: Dual tasking gait variability Subset of 250 participants Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Secondary Immunity: Rate of upper respiratory infections / rate of flu-like illness Assessed with infection protocol every 3 months 36 months
Secondary Immunity: Incident severe infections that lead to hospital admission 36 months
Secondary Cartilage/Bone: Severity of knee pain in participants with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis Assessed with the KOOS questionnaire. Knee OA assessment with modified ACR criteria. Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Secondary Cartilage/Bone: Rate of knee buckling Questionnaire-based. Baseline, 12,24,36 months
Secondary Cartilage/Bone: NSAID use / number of joints with pain Assessed by questionnaire and homunculus figure Baseline, 12, 24, 36 months
Secondary Dental: Decline in oral health Assessed with questionnaire. Baseline, 12,24 and 36 months
Secondary Dental: Tooth loss Assessed by tooth count at every clinical visit 36 months
Secondary Gastro-Intestinal: rate of GI symptoms Assessed with ROME III questionnaire. Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Secondary Glucose-Metabolic: Change in fasting glucose, insulin levels (QUICKI, HOMA index) Laboratory measures at the Central DO-HEALTH Laboratory (Institute of Clinical Chemistry at the University Hospital Zurich) Baseline, 12,24,36 months
Secondary Glucose-Metabolic: Body composition Subset of 1502 participants with DXA measurements Baseline, 12, 24, 36 months
Secondary Kidney: Decline in kidney function Blood creatinine levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate Baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months
Secondary Global Health: Quality of life Assessed with questionnaire (EuroQuol). Every 6 months
Secondary Global Health: Incident disability regarding activities of daily living Assessed with HAQ-PROMIS questionnaire Baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months
Secondary Global Health: Incident nursing home admission 36 months
Secondary Global Health: Mortality 36 months

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