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Defining a PD-specific Breath Fingerprint of Underlying Inflammatory and Neurodegenerative Processes

Defining a Parkinson's Disease (PD) -Specific Breath Fingerprint of Underlying Inflammatory and Neurodegenerative Processes

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02749214
Enrollment
100
Registered
2016-04-22
Start date
2016-02-29
Completion date
2019-05-31
Last updated
2019-06-18

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

Conditions

Parkinson's Disease

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the potential for a Parkinson's Disease (PD) -specific breath signature as a non-invasive screening tool for identifying PD patients with inflammation, tracking the progression of disease, and responsiveness to various therapeutic interventions, in particular anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory therapies. Neurological disorders include any disorder involving the brain or the nervous system, for example memory disorders, stroke, movement disorders and many other conditions. The study will lay the foundation for future studies in which breath fingerprinting could be used as a screening technique. Investigators will also be looking at how the breath fingerprint correlates with inflammatory proteins in the blood.

Detailed description

The purpose of this study is to determine the potential for a Parkinson's Disease (PD) -specific breath signature as a non-invasive screening tool for identifying PD patients with inflammation, tracking the progression of disease, and responsiveness to various therapeutic interventions, in particular anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory therapies. Neurological disorders include any disorder involving the brain or the nervous system, for example memory disorders, stroke, movement disorders and many other conditions. The study will lay the foundation for future studies in which breath fingerprinting could be used as a screening technique. Investigators will also be looking at how the breath fingerprint correlates with inflammatory proteins in the blood. Investigators will determine how molecules in human breath can define a breath signature that can be associated with neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease. The long-term goal of this study is to use blood inflammatory marker relationships and Breath Analytical Approach to identify individuals at risk for development of neurologic disorders and to monitor the effects of immune interventions on the rate of disease progression. The study team will recruit a total of 100 participants: 50 early stage (defined by a Hohn & Yahr Stages 1-2), non-smoking Parkinson's Disease patients from among the Emory Movement Disorders Clinic and 50 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Investigators will recruit six to eight participants per month over an 18-month time period.

Interventions

OTHERBlood Sample Collection

Participants will have two to three tablespoons (30 cc) of peripheral blood drawn to test for inflammatory markers.

Participants will be asked to breathe into the Breath Sampler containing a rapid passive volatile organic compounds (VOC) sampling device. A disposable mouthpiece is placed over a portion of the sampler where the participant placed his/her mouth. The mouthpiece will be disposed of after each use and a new one will be used for each participant. Prior to sample collection, the participant will be asked to rinse his/her mouth with water. Then the participant will breathe deeply into the sampler five times with breaths being five minutes apart to collect the alveolar breath.

Sponsors

Emory University
Lead SponsorOTHER
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
25 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

Participants with Parkinson's Disease (PD) Inclusion Criteria: * Must be capable of providing written informed consent * Non-smoking * Clinical diagnosis of PD Hohn & Yahr Stages 1 and 2

Exclusion criteria

* Cognitively impaired to the degree that they are not able to provide consent Healthy Controls Inclusion Criteria: * Must be capable of providing written informed consent * Age matched and a family member or healthy community control

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Subscale II ScoreUp to 15 minutesThe Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Subscale II is a measure of self-evaluation of the activities of daily life (ADLs) including speech, swallowing, handwriting, dressing, hygiene, falling, salivating, turning in bed, walking, and cutting food. Items are rated from 0 (normal) to 4 (severe). A higher total score indicates more severe disease.
Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Subscale III ScoreUp to 15 minutesThe Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Subscale III is a clinician-scored monitored motor evaluation. Items are rated from 0 (normal) to 4 (severe). A higher total score indicates more severe disease.
Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale ScoreUp to 15 minutesThe Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale is used to describe how the symptoms of Parkinson's disease progress. Stages of disease range from 1 to 5 where 5 is the most severe.
Overnight Questionnaire ScoreUp to 15 minutesThe Overnight Questionnaire is completed by a person living with the participant with Parkinson's Disease. Questions refer to behaviors witnessed during sleep. Questions are answered on a scale from 1 (never) to 4 (always). A higher score indicates more symptoms of sleep disruption.
Beck's Depression Scale ScoreUp to 15 minutesThe Beck's Depression Scale is a 21 one item scale used to describe how a participant has been feeling over the past two weeks. A total score between 0-21 indicates very low anxiety. A between 22-35 indicates moderate anxiety. A score that exceeds 36 indicates high anxiety.
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) ScoreUp to 10 minutesThe Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) is a rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction. It assesses different cognitive domains: attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, visuoconstructional skills, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation. The total possible score is 30 points; a score of 26 or above is considered normal.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

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