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Transdermal Estrogen in Older Premenopausal Women With Anorexia Nervosa

Transdermal Estrogen in Older Premenopausal Women With Anorexia Nervosa

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02475265
Acronym
1180
Enrollment
11
Registered
2015-06-18
Start date
2015-07-31
Completion date
2018-07-30
Last updated
2019-07-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa, Osteoporosis

Keywords

Anorexia Nervosa, Osteoporosis, Eating Disorder, Disordered Eating, Estrogen, Bone

Brief summary

Decreased bone strength is a common and serious medical problem present in many women with anorexia nervosa. Women with decreased bone strength are more likely to suffer broken bones than women with normal bone strength. This study will investigate whether the use of transdermal estrogen can improve bone mineral density (BMD) and bone microarchitecture in women with anorexia nervosa anorexia nervosa when used for 6 months.

Detailed description

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder affecting up to 1% of college-aged women in the US and an increasing number of women over 30 years of age. Among the many medical co-morbidities associated with AN, the most common is significant bone loss, which can persist despite weight recovery. Nearly 50% of women with AN have osteopenia with an additional 30% meeting WHO criteria for osteoporosis. Importantly, this severe bone loss is associated with an increased fracture risk. Nearly 30% of women with AN report a history of a fracture and a prospective study demonstrated a 7-fold increased risk of fracture in women with AN compared to age-matched controls. Because AN is a chronic disease that can persist despite psychiatric and nutritional counseling, the bone loss and increased fracture risk can persist and lead to lifelong morbidity. Therefore, finding a treatment for bone loss associated with AN is of critical importance. This 6 month open-label study will investigate in women (ages 25 to 50 years old) with AN whether treatment with transdermal estrogen replacement will increase bone mineral density (BMD), improve parameters of bone microarchitecture as assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT), and improve bone strength as estimated by microfinite element analysis.

Interventions

DRUGestradiol 0.045 mg/levonorgestrel 0.015mg

Sponsors

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
CollaboratorNIH
Massachusetts General Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
25 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Female; ages 25-50 years * Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) psychiatric criteria for AN, including \<85% of ideal body weight as defined by the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Height and Weight Tables, and amenorrhea * T-score of \< -1.5 at spine or hip * Treatment team or treatment professional in place for clinical treatment/monitoring during the study

Exclusion criteria

* Diseases known to affect bone metabolism, including untreated thyroid dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency, Cushing's syndrome, diabetes mellitus or renal insufficiency * Personal history of venous or arterial clot * History of stroke or myocardial infarction * History of migraine headaches * History of hypercoagulable disorder * Personal history or history of a first-degree relative with breast cancer * History of hereditary angioedema * Any medication known to affect bone metabolism, including systemic glucocorticoids within three months of the baseline visit, depot medroxyprogesterone within 6 months of the baseline visit, oral bisphosphonates within one year of the baseline visit or intravenous (IV) bisphosphonates within three years of the baseline visit * Bone fracture within the prior 12 months * Serum potassium \< 3.0 meq/L or serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \> 3 times the upper limit of normal * Fasting serum triglyceride level \> 150 mg/dL * Pregnant or breastfeeding * Active substance abuse

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percent Change in Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of Lumbar Spine by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)6 monthsPercent change in lumbar spine bone mineral density after six-months. Lumbar spine bone mineral density measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Estradiol 0.045mg/Levonorgestrel 0.015mg
6 months of estradiol 0.045mg/levonorgestrel 0.015mg (once weekly patch). estradiol 0.045 mg/levonorgestrel 0.015mg
11
Total11

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyPhysician Decision1
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject2

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicEstradiol 0.045mg/Levonorgestrel 0.015mg
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
11 Participants
Age, Continuous37.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.8
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
10 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Lumbar spine bone mineral density0.776 g/cm^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.104
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
11 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
11 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
11 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 11
other
Total, other adverse events
7 / 11
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 11

Outcome results

Primary

Percent Change in Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of Lumbar Spine by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)

Percent change in lumbar spine bone mineral density after six-months. Lumbar spine bone mineral density measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Time frame: 6 months

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Estradiol 0.045mg/Levonorgestrel 0.015mgPercent Change in Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of Lumbar Spine by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA)2.0 percent changeStandard Error 0.8

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026