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Establishing a Pediatric Reference Range for the 13C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test (GEBT)

Establishing a Pediatric Reference Range for the 13C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test (GEBT)

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06004596
Enrollment
182
Registered
2023-08-22
Start date
2023-03-17
Completion date
2024-09-30
Last updated
2024-10-03

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

Conditions

Gastroparesis

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to define the normal response to the 13C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test (GEBT) in children, so that we can use this test to help diagnose children that are suspected of having a condition called gastroparesis, which means that food doesn't empty from their stomach normally. Participants will blow into test tubes to collect breath samples before and after eating a scrambled egg GEBT meal that contains a small amount of specially grown Spirulina (a blue-green alga used as a dietary supplement) that contains mostly carbon-13 (a non-radioactive kind of carbon atom). Analysis of the amount of 13C in the carbon dioxide in breath before and after eating the GEBT meal can measure how fast food is emptying from the stomach.

Detailed description

Children will complete questionnaires to ensure that they are qualified to enter the study and are likely to have normal gastric emptying rates. Informed consent/assent will be obtained. Breath samples will be collected by children blowing into test tubes before and after eating a 13C-Spirulina GEBT meal. Breath samples will be collected and the test will be administered via telehealth or at one of the children's hospital clinics. Researchers will analyze results from different age groups to see if there are differences in normal gastric emptying in younger/older children and boys/girls.

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST13C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test (GEBT)

Diagnostic test

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST13C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test (GEBT) - repeat

Diagnostic test - repeat for biological variability deterination

Sponsors

Medical College of Wisconsin
CollaboratorOTHER
Baylor College of Medicine
CollaboratorOTHER
Cairn Diagnostics
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
7 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Children ages 7 to 18 years who provide written assent and whose parents provide written consent for participation * Healthy and without any significant prior medical history or developmental delays * Able to eat the test meal and provide breath samples.-

Exclusion criteria

Any known physician-diagnosed medical (gastrointestinal, pancreatic, or liver disease that may cause malabsorption, neurological) or psychiatric disease * Chronic pulmonary disease including moderate/severe reactive airway disease requiring treatment with a daily inhaler * Type 1 or 2 Diabetes * Chronic gastrointestinal symptoms or functional gastrointestinal disorders * Mental retardation or pervasive developmental disorder * Currently receiving prescription drug therapy that may affect gastric motor function or sensation * Any over-the-counter or herbal supplements that may affect gastric motor function or sensation * Allergy to Spirulina, egg, milk, wheat or gluten (unless consuming gluten free crackers with the test meal) or known intolerance to any ingredient in the test meal

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
kPCD (kPCD = 1000 x percent dose of 13C excreted) at 15 minutes (min-1)15 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 15 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 30 minutes (min-1)30 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 30 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 45 minutes (min-1)45 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 45 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 60 minutes (min-1)60 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 60 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 90 minutes (min-1)90 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 90 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 120 minutes (min-1)120 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 120 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 150 minutes (min-1)150 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 150 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 180 minutes (min-1)180 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 180 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 210 minutes210 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 210 minutes after meal completion
kPCD at 240 minutes (min-1)240 minutes13CO2 excretion rate calculated at 240 minutes after meal completion
Test meal/test completionup to 20 minutesParticipant was able to successfully consume the meal/complete the test - Measured by determining whether box on test request form checked or not checked and whether or not all breath samples were collected/able to be analyzed
Tmax (mins)90 to 240 minutesTime of maximum excretion rate - time at which the largest kPCD is observed

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

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