Impact of phenylalanine on cognitive, cerebral, and neurometabolic parameters in adult patients with phenylketonuria (the PICO study): a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover, noninferiority trial.

Trepp, Roman; Muri, Raphaela; Abgottspon, Stephanie; Bosanska, Lenka; Hochuli, Michel; Slotboom, Johannes; Rummel, Christian; Kreis, Roland; Everts, Regula (2020). Impact of phenylalanine on cognitive, cerebral, and neurometabolic parameters in adult patients with phenylketonuria (the PICO study): a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover, noninferiority trial. Trials, 21(1), p. 178. BioMed Central 10.1186/s13063-019-4022-z

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BACKGROUND

The population of adult patients with early-treated phenylketonuria (PKU) following newborn screening is growing substantially. The ideal target range of blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels in adults outside pregnancy is a matter of debate. Therefore, prospective intervention studies are needed to evaluate the effects of an elevated Phe concentration on cognition and structural, functional, and neurometabolic parameters of the brain.

METHODS

The PICO (Phenylalanine and Its Impact on Cognition) Study evaluates the effect of a 4-week Phe load on cognition and cerebral parameters in adults with early-treated PKU in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover, noninferiority trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty adult patients with early-treated PKU and 30 healthy controls comparable to patients with regard to age, sex, and educational level will be recruited from the University Hospitals Bern and Zurich, Switzerland. Patients are eligible for the study if they are 18 years of age or older and had PKU diagnosed after a positive newborn screening and were treated with a Phe-restricted diet starting within the first 30 days of life.

INTERVENTION

The cross-over intervention consists of 4-week oral Phe or placebo administration in patients with PKU. The study design mimics a Phe-restricted and a Phe-unrestricted diet using a double-blinded, placebo-controlled approach.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the PICO Study is to prospectively assess whether a temporarily elevated Phe level influences cognitive performance (working memory assessed with a n-back task) in adults with early-treated PKU. As a secondary objective, the PICO Study will elucidate the cerebral (fMRI, neural activation during a n-back task; rsfMRI, functional connectivity at rest; DTI, white matter integrity; and ASL, cerebral blood flow) and neurometabolic mechanisms (cerebral Phe level) that accompany changes in Phe concentration. Cognition, and structural and functional parameters of the brain of adult patients with early-treated PKU will be cross-sectionally compared to healthy controls. All assessments will take place at the University Hospital Bern, Switzerland.

RANDOMIZATION

Central randomization will be used to assign participants to the different treatment arms with age, sex, and center serving as the stratification factors. Randomization lists will be generated by an independent statistician. Blinding: All trial personnel other than the statistician generating the randomization list and the personnel at the facility preparing the interventional product are blinded to the assigned treatment.

DISCUSSION

Using a combination of neuropsychological and neuroimaging data, the PICO Study will considerably contribute to improve the currently insufficient level of evidence on how adult patients with early-treated PKU should be managed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03788343) on the 27th of December 2018, at kofam.ch (SNCTP000003117) on the 17th of December 2018, and on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform of the WHO.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Further Contribution)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (DRNN) > Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Paediatric Radiology > DCR Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Methodology (AMSM)
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Endocrinology (DFKE) > Clinic of Paediatric Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Endocrinology (DFKE) > Clinic of Paediatric Medicine > Neuropaediatrics
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (DRNN) > Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Endocrinology (DFKE) > Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Clinical Nutrition
04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > BioMedical Research (DBMR) > Forschungsbereich Pavillon 52 > Abt. Magnetresonanz-Spektroskopie und Methodologie, AMSM

Graduate School:

Graduate School for Health Sciences (GHS)

UniBE Contributor:

Trepp, Roman, Muri, Raphaela, Maissen, Stephanie, Bosanska, Lenka, Hochuli, Michel, Slotboom, Johannes, Rummel, Christian, Kreis, Roland, Everts, Regula

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1745-6215

Publisher:

BioMed Central

Language:

English

Submitter:

Anette van Dorland

Date Deposited:

03 Mar 2020 13:50

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:33

Publisher DOI:

10.1186/s13063-019-4022-z

Related URLs:

PubMed ID:

32054509

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Diet Neuroimaging Neuropsychology PKU Phenylalanine Phenylketonuria Working memory

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.140720

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/140720

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