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Washed Microbiota Transplantation for Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder

Phase 1
Recruiting
Conditions
Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT06376331
Lead Sponsor
The Second Hospital of Nanjing Medical University
Brief Summary

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. ADHD is often accompanied by oppositional defiant disorder and sleep disturbance, and can increase the risk of other psychiatric disorders, functional impairment in academic and occupational performance. Recently, gut microbiota has been implicated in the ADHD via gut-brain axis. In this study, investigators aimed to evaluate the efficacy of WMT for core ADHD symptoms and its comorbidities using specialized questionnaires for ADHD and investigate the underlying mechanism.

Detailed Description

Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been reported to play a critical role in the initiation and progression of neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD via the gut-brain axis. Therapies targeting gut microbiota including including probiotics, prebiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) might provide new insight into the management of ADHD. FMT has been reported to be a highly effective therapy to restore the gut microbiota dysbiosis by transferring gut microbiota from healthy donors to patients. The newly improved methodology of FMT based on the automatic washing process and the related delivering consideration was named as washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) by the FMT-standardization study group. FMT has shown treatment potential in several gut-brain axis-related disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, promoting us to investigate its treatment potential for ADHD and its comorbidities. To date, only one case report showed a 22-year-old woman undergoing FMT primarily to treat recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection achieved ADHD symptoms alleviation. However, the efficacy of WMT for ADHD and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. In this study, investigators aimed to evaluate the efficacy of WMT for core ADHD symptoms and its comorbidities using specialized questionnaires for ADHD and investigate the underlying mechanism.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Children with an established diagnosis of ADHD according to Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition;
  2. Aged 5-17;
  3. stable treatments one month before WMT;
  4. Did not take medications affecting gut microbiota such as antibiotics and probiotics three months before WMT.
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Unable to understand the questionnaires or provide informed consent by the guardian;
  2. Diagnosed with a single-gene disorder, psychosis, central nervous system diseases, gastrointestinal diseases including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or eosinophilic esophagitis;
  3. Had severe comorbidities including cardiopulmonary failure, severe liver, and kidney diseases and cancer;
  4. Accompanied with other life-threatening disorders required emergency treatment;
  5. Used to undergo FMT in other medical centers;
  6. Unable to tolerate colonoscopy or anesthesia

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Washed microbiota transplantationwashed microbiota transplantationWMT
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
change of Chinese version of the Conners abbreviated symptom questionnaire (C-ASQ).baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

The C-ASQ is composed of 10-item which derived from the Revised Conners Parent Rating Scale. It uses a 4-point Likert scale from 0 to 3 for children aged 3-17 years. It has been used as an effective screening instrument to identify and measure ADHD behavioural problems in Chinese children.

change of Swanson, Nolan and Pelham-IV (SNAP-IV).baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

It is an 26-item questionnaire that measured three of the ADHD symptoms, inattention, hyperactivity and oppositional defiant disorder. The 26-item checklist is scored on a 4-point Likert scale ranging between Not At All (0) and Very Much (3).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
intestinal barrierbaseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

plasma DAO, D-lactic acid and bacterial endotoxin levels

change of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC).baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

The SDSC is 26-item test measuring sleep problems and each item receives a value from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more severe sleep disorders.

change of the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) .baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

It is based on 15 questions which are scored into 5 domains: abdominal pain, reflux, indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation. Each item weights from 1 to 7, with higher scores reflecting more severe symptoms.

the difference of the gut microbe composition between children with ADHD and healthy children by sequencing faecal metagenome.baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

The composition of the gut microbiota is evaluated by sequencing faecal metagenome. We evaluate the differences in the structure of the flora and its metabolism between the two at the phylum, genus and species levels of the intestinal flora and control children, and to develop a model for predicting the structure of the flora.

the difference of the serum neurotransmitters between children with ADHD and healthy childrenbaseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months post transplantation

The serum neurotransmitters is measured by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Department of Microbiota Medicine & Medical Centre for Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University

🇨🇳

Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

SIR RUN RUN hospital of Nanjing Medical University

🇨🇳

Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

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