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Transdermal Estrogen in Women With Anorexia Nervosa

Transdermal Estrogen for the Treatment of Bone Loss in Women With Anorexia Nervosa

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03875378
Enrollment
66
Registered
2019-03-14
Start date
2020-08-28
Completion date
2028-12-31
Last updated
2025-08-07

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

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa

Keywords

Bone mineral density, Estrogen

Brief summary

Randomized, placebo-controlled study investigating the use of physiologic, transdermal estrogen for low bone mass in adult women with anorexia nervosa.

Detailed description

Anorexia nervosa is a prevalent psychiatric with a lifetime prevalence of up to 2.2%. Among the many medical co-morbidities associated with anorexia nervosa, the most common is significant bone loss, which can persist despite weight recovery. Nearly 90% of women with anorexia nervosa have osteopenia and this low bone mass is associated with an increased fracture risk. Nearly 30% of women with anorexia nervosa report a history of a fracture and a prospective study demonstrated a 7-fold increased risk of fracture in women with anorexia nervosa compared to age-matched controls. Because anorexia nervosa 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 anorexia nervosa is of critical importance. This 18-month randomized, placebo-controlled study will investigate in women (ages 20 to 45 years old) with anorexia nervosa whether treatment with transdermal estrogen replacement will increase bone mineral density (BMD).

Interventions

Transdermal estradiol (0.045mg)/levonorgestrel (0.015mg) weekly patch

DRUGPlacebos

Placebo weekly patch

Sponsors

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
CollaboratorNIH
Pouneh K. Fazeli, MD
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Intervention model description

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
19 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Female 2. 19-45 years of age 3. DSM-5 psychiatric criteria for anorexia nervosa 4. \<85% of ideal body weight as defined by the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Height and Weight Tables 5. Amenorrhea 6. T-score of \< -1.0 at spine or hip

Exclusion criteria

1. Diseases known to affect bone metabolism, including untreated thyroid dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency, Cushing's syndrome, diabetes mellitus or renal insufficiency (eGFR \< 60) 2. Personal history of venous or arterial clot 3. History of stroke or myocardial infarction 4. History of hypercoagulable disorder 5. Personal history or history of a first-degree relative with breast cancer 6. History of hereditary angioedema 7. 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 IV bisphosphonates within three years of the baseline visit 8. Bone fracture within the prior 12 months 9. Serum potassium \< 3.0 meq/L, serum ALT \> 3 times the upper limit of normal or Hemoglobin \< 10 g/dL 10. Fasting serum triglyceride level \> 150 mg/dL 11. Pregnant or breastfeeding (or desiring pregnancy within the next 18 months) 12. Active substance abuse 13. Elevated PTH level 14. 25-OH vitamin D level \< 20 ng/mL 15. Low phosphorus level

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in bone mineral density at 18 monthsBaseline, 18 monthsChange in lumbar spine bone mineral density at 18 months

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in bone mineral density at hip at 18 monthsBaseline, 18 monthsChange in total hip bone mineral density at 18 months
Change in bone mineral density at femoral neck at 18 monthsBaseline, 18 monthsChange in femoral neck bone mineral density at 18 months
Change in parameters of bone microarchitecture at 18 monthsBaseline, 18 monthsChange in microarchitectural parameters as measured by high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT at 18 months
Change in estimated bone strength at 18 monthsBaseline, 18 monthsChange in estimated bone strength as assessed by finite element analysis at 18 months
Change in vertebral fractures at 18 monthsBaseline, 18 monthsChange in vertebral fractures as assessed by vertebral fracture assessment at 18 months

Countries

United States

Contacts

Primary ContactPouneh Fazeli, MD
pkfazeli@pitt.edu412-586-9700
Backup ContactShari Reynolds

Outcome results

None listed

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