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L-Glutamine Therapy for Sickle Cell Anemia
This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by FDA Office of Orphan Products Development, January 2002
Sponsored by: FDA Office of Orphan Products Development
Information provided by: FDA Office of Orphan Products Development
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00029887
  Purpose

This is a study to determine the efficacy of L-glutamine as therapy for sickle cell anemia and sickle O-thalassemia.


Condition Intervention Phase
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Thalassemia
Drug: L-glutamine
Phase II
Phase III

Genetics Home Reference related topics: beta thalassemia sickle cell disease
MedlinePlus related topics: Anemia Sickle Cell Anemia Thalassemia
Drug Information available for: Glutamine
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Crossover Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title: L-Glutamine Therapy for Sickle Cell Anemia

Further study details as provided by FDA Office of Orphan Products Development:

Estimated Enrollment: 80
Study Start Date: September 2001
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 2004
Detailed Description:

Sickle cell anemia is one of the most common and devastating hereditary disorders with significant morbidity and mortality affecting individuals of African-American heritage. No safe effective therapy is yet available. An ideal agent would be one that is readily available, effective, and safe even with chronic use. Early studies using L-glutamine in a few patients show promising results. This is an amino acid that has been used widely for other purposes and shown to be safe.

Patients are assigned randomly to receive L-glutamine or placebo orally 3 times a day for 24 weeks after which patients will cross over to the other treatment arm for 24 weeks. Clinical parameters, adverse effects attributable to L-glutamine, and physiological parameters will be monitored throughout the study.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   5 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

  • Diagnosis of sickle cell anemia or sickle beta O-thalassemia
  • History of at least 3 episodes of painful crisis during the past 12 months
  • PT INR no greater than 2.0
  • Albumin at least 3.0 g/dL

Exclusion criteria:

  • Any other significant medical condition, including diabetes mellitus (with untreated fasting blood sugar greater than 115), that required hospitalization within the past 2 months
  • Received any blood products within the past 3 months
  • History of stroke
  • Received other antisickling agents within the past 12 months
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00029887

Locations
United States, California
Harbor-UCLA Research and Education Institute Recruiting
Torrance, California, United States, 90502
Contact: Yutaka Niihara, M.D.     310-222-3695     ysniihara@aol.com    
Principal Investigator: Yutaka Niihara, M.D.            
Sponsors and Collaborators
  More Information

Study ID Numbers: FD-R-2028-01, G002028;, FD-R-002028-01
Study First Received: January 24, 2002
Last Updated: June 23, 2005
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00029887  
Health Authority: United States: Food and Drug Administration

Keywords provided by FDA Office of Orphan Products Development:
Sickle O-thalassemia

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Hematologic Diseases
Hemoglobinopathies
Anemia
Anemia, Hemolytic
Hemoglobinopathy
Thalassemia
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Sickle cell anemia

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 16, 2009