Curcumin in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis

Summary

Background: Curcumin in an active phytochemical substance, used as part of the human diet, that has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties which were demonstrated in multiple experimental models of colitis including a positive effect on maintenance of remission in adult ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Objectives: To examine the effect of curcumin as complementary medication in induction and maintenance therapy in pediatric patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. Design: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Setting: Pediatric gastroenterology centers. Participants: Children 6 year to 18 years who are diagnosed with mild to moderate UC and are planned to receive either 5-ASA or corticosteroids induction treatment. Main outcome measures: Disease activity defined by the Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) at 2 weeks and 6 months. Secondary outcome measures: Effect of curcumin treatment on serum inflammatory markers, calprotectin and fecal microbiota. Data analysis: Data will be collected and analyzed using SPSS (version 21.0, SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Fisher's exact test will be used to explore univariate associations between primary outcomes and categorical variables. Associations of continues variables with primary outcome measures will be examined using ANOVA with repeated measures. P-values \<0.05 will be considered significant.

Conditions

• Ulcerative Colitis

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Curcumin

Eligible patients will be randomized to either intervention of placebo groups. Randomization will be performed separately for patients receiving corticosteroids for induction in-order to ensure similar heterogeneity within groups. Induction: oral prednisone 1mg/kg up to 40 mg once daily for 2 weeks and then tapered down by 5 mg per week or 5-ASA 75 mg/kg/day divided to two doses. Maintenance: 5-ASA 75 mg/kg/day divided to two doses. Patients receiving corticosteroids for induction, whose PUCAI is \>35 points at 2 weeks will be regarded as treatment failure. Patients receiving 5-ASA for induction with "induction treatment failure" will be re-randomized to receive oral corticosteroids induction with or without curcumin.

DRUG

Placebo

Eligible patients will be randomized to either intervention of placebo groups. Randomization will be performed separately for patients receiving corticosteroids for induction in-order to ensure similar heterogeneity within groups. Induction: oral prednisone 1mg/kg up to 40 mg once daily for 2 weeks and then tapered down by 5 mg per week or 5-ASA 75 mg/kg/day divided to two doses. Maintenance: 5-ASA 75 mg/kg/day divided to two doses. Patients receiving corticosteroids for induction, whose PUCAI is \>35 points at 2 weeks will be regarded as treatment failure. Patients receiving 5-ASA for induction with "induction treatment failure" will be re-randomized to receive oral corticosteroids induction with or without curcumin.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Schneider Children's Medical Center, Israel

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Amit Assa, MD · Schneider Children's Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-03-01

Primary Completion

2022-07-31

Completion

2022-12-31

Countries

• Israel

Study Locations