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Effect of Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Interventions
Behavioral: 5 portions fruit and vegetables/day
Registration Number
NCT00435708
Lead Sponsor
Queen's University, Belfast
Brief Summary

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the UK's fastest growing fatal disease and is estimated to cost the health service close to £1 billion every year. Around 80,000 people in Northern Ireland suffer from COPD. COPD is clinically defined as a slowly progressive condition characterised by airflow limitation, which is largely irreversible. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are key components of the underlying pathological process resulting in airflow limitation. Dietary factors and nutrients that have antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties are therefore of interest with respect to the aetiology of COPD. The antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta-carotene are all present in the lung milieu. Such antioxidants represent the lung's first line of defence against oxygen free radicals. Observational studies indicate that a low dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients, or foods rich in antioxidants (e.g. fruit and vegetables), is associated with decreased lung function and increased risk of COPD. To date, there have been no food-based dietary interventions investigating the effect of increased fruit and vegetable intake on COPD. The investigators propose to recruit people with mild to moderate COPD and low fruit and vegetable intakes (\<=2 portions daily) and randomise them to one of two study arms for 12 weeks - either to increase fruit and vegetable consumption to at least 5 portions a day, or to follow their normal diet. Airway and systemic oxidative stress and inflammation will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention in order to determine if fruit and vegetables have the potential to alleviate the oxidative stress and airway inflammation associated with COPD.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
81
Inclusion Criteria
  • moderate to severe COPD (according to GOLD classification)
  • oxygen saturation >= 92 KPa
  • symptomatically stable
  • habitually low fruit and vegetable intakes (<=2 portions daily)
  • exercise limited by shortness of breath (rather than e.g. angina, arthritis)
Exclusion Criteria
  • diabetes
  • taking antioxidant supplements or drugs
  • oxygen saturation <8KPa

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
High fruit and vegetables5 portions fruit and vegetables/day5 portions fruit and vegetables/day
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Self-reported Intake of Fruit and Vegetables (Number of Portions Per Day);12 weeks

A series of 7-day diet histories were completed by each participant at weeks 0 and 12 in order to assess baseline diet and self-reported compliance with the intervention; average daily FV intake was then hand-counted from these records;

Markers of Airway Inflammation in Induced Sputum - Sputum 8-isoprostane12 Weeks

Markers of Airway Inflammation in Induced Sputum - Sputum 8-isoprostane ng/ml

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Biochemical Markers of Nutritional Status Plasma Vitamin C12 weeks

Plasma vitamin C concentration umol/L

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Queen's University Belfast

🇬🇧

Belfast, Co.Antrim, United Kingdom

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