MedPath

Dietary Fiber Intake in Alcohol-dependent Patients

Not Applicable
Conditions
Alcoholism
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: placebo
Dietary Supplement: inulin
Registration Number
NCT03803709
Lead Sponsor
Université Catholique de Louvain
Brief Summary

The alcohol problem affects 7.5% of the population in Europe and represents a major public health problem. Alcoholism is also a major cause of undernutrition. Diet is a major factor influencing the composition of the intestinal microbiota and previous studies, carried out at Saint-Luc clinics and catholic university of Louvain, show that alcoholic patients suffer from dysbiosis, that is a significant alteration of the gut microbiota. The investigator's preliminary studies, carried out at the Integrated Unit of Hepatology of Saint-Luc Clinics, have shown that alcohol represents more than 40% of total caloric intake in alcohol-dependent patients. In addition, alcoholic patients have an insufficient intake of dietary fiber, that is to say a contribution lower than the Belgian nutritional recommendations. Indeed, the Conseil Supérieur de la Santé recommends a total amount of dietary fiber equal to or greater than 25 grams per day to ensure correct intestinal function. Fructan-type dietary fiber (inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides) is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables (Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, artichokes, onions, garlic, chicory roots, bananas). They are neither absorbed nor digested by human enzymes but fermented selectively by intestinal bacteria.

A good digestive tolerance to dietary fiber supplementation has been observed in healthy subjects as well as in obese patients, in previous studies conducted at catholic university of Louvain and Saint-Luc clinics. However, a nutritional rebalance via fiber supplementation and digestive fiber tolerance have never been tested in an alcohol-dependent population.

The primary objectives of this academic research project in nutrition, carried out in alcohol-dependent patients, are as follows:

1. restore a nutritional balance as recommended by the Conseil Supérieur de la Santé via a dietary fiber intake

2. to study digestive tolerance to fibers

3. to study the intestinal and psychological well-being related to a fiber intake

Depending on the results obtained during the achievement of the primary objectives, the biological samples (blood, stool) collected during the study will be used to analyze the composition of the intestinal microbiota and the plasma markers associated with intestinal function.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  • male or female
  • aged between 18 and 65
  • caucasian
  • French speaking
  • alcohol drunk less than 48h before day 1
Exclusion Criteria
  • another addiction, except smoking
  • psychiatric comorbidity on axe 1 of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV
  • antibiotic, probiotic or fibers recent (<2 months) treatment (or other molecule modifying intestinal transit)
  • Non-steroidial anti-inflammatory drug or glucocorticoids recently taken (<1 month)
  • obesity: Body Mass Index<30
  • bariatric surgery
  • Type 1 or 2 diabetes
  • chronic inflammatory diseases (Crohn disease, coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis)
  • cirrhosis or Advanced hepatic fibrosis (Fibroscan > or = F3)
  • pregnancy

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
placeboplacebo* maltodextrin received at 4g/day on day 3 and 4 * maltodextrin received at 8g/day from day 5 to 14 * maltodextrin received at 16g/day from day 15 to 20
inulininulin* inulin received at 4g/day on day 3 and 4 * inulin received at 8g/day from day 5 to 14 * inulin received at 16g/day from day 15 to 20
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in diet profileon Day 2 and Day 19

This tool is based on the one adapted to alcoholic patients at Saint Luc Hospital. It consists of two parts to allow cross-checking of data (redundancy) and to measure separate information:

General: it is implemented a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) in order to investigate the general diet profile.

Daily: it resumes the sequencing of a full day which allows to verify the information previously obtained as well as to precisely identify the moments of consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic inputs.

This 7-day recall will be carried out at two times: week T1 for reminder of the week before hospitalization then T2 for reminder of the week back home. In this last case, this anamnesis will be done by interview, but also on the basis of the diary filled by the patient in T2, in order to optimize the accuracy of the data.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Alimentary bookFrom day 1 to day 21

The patient will have to fill in this book every day

Change in selective attentionon Day 2 and Day 19

William Lennox attention tests

Change in moodon Day 2 and Day 19

Beck Depression Inventory (score 0-63). Higher score indicates higher depression level.

Change in decision makingon Day 2 and Day 19

Iowa gambling's task

Change in traumaon Day 2 and Day 19

Post-traumatic diagnostic scale: calculation of score is complex and described in the related publication Hearn, M, Ceschi, G., Brillon, P, Fürst, G., \& Van der Linden, M. (2012). A French adaptation of the Post-traumatic Diagnostic scale. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 44, 16-28.

Change in flexibilityon Day 2 and Day 19

Trail making test

Change in fecal albumin concentrationon Day 2 and Day 19

A stool sample will be collected to analyze a marker of intestinal permeability: fecal albumin

Quantitative evaluation of intakeson Day 2 and Day 19

The meals will be weighted before and after eating

Alimentation historyOn day 21

This questionnaire makes it possible to further investigate the patient's diet before the episode of alcoholism in his adult and child life. The aim is to assess whether it is closer to a healthy diet (Mediterranean diet or dash diet) or a Western diet type. It is based on the recall technique and performed by a qualified dietician.

Change in anxietyon Day 2 and Day 19

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (score 20-80). Higher score indicates higher anxiety level.

Change in inhibitionon Day 2 and Day 19

Scoop's tasks

Change in intestine integrityon Day 2 and Day 19

It will be determined by blood sample (LPS level)

Change in intestinal permeabilityon Day 2 and Day 19

Patients will ingest 50microCurie of 51Chrome-Ethylenediamintetraacetic prepared in a Nutridrink®. This molecule is not normally absorbed by the intestine except when there is an increase in intestinal permeability (paracellular passage following rupture of tight junctions). The molecule is then filtered by the kidney and is found in the urine. A 24h urine collection will be carried out to measure the radioactivity emitted by 51Chrome-Ethylenediamintetraacetic

Intestinal permeabilityOn day 3

a duodenal biopsy will be collected and the expression of the tight junctions regulating the intestinal permeability will be analyzed by sectional immunofluorescence and quantitative Polymerase Chain reaction

Change in work memoryon Day 2 and Day 19

Brown-Peterson's tasks

Change in albumin, pre-albumin and zinc concentrationon Day 2 and Day 19

It will be determined by blood sample

Change in alcohol cravingon Day 2 and Day 19

Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale: a total score (= obsession + compulsion) (0-40) and 2 sub-scores (Obsession (0-20) and Compulsion (0-20)) are calculated. Higher score indicates higher craving level.

Change in impulsivityon Day 2 and Day 19

Urgency Premeditation Perseverance Sensation seeking impulsive behavior scale: score of different subscales are calculated: "urgency"(0-48), "lack of premeditation"(0-44), "lack of perseverance"(0-40), "sensation seeking"(0-48). Higher score in the different subscales indicates higher impulsivity level.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Université catholique de Louvain

🇧🇪

Brussels, Belgium

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath