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Diet and Plant Sterols in the Control of Cholesterolemia (DESCO)

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Hypercholesterolemia
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Plant sterols 2.5 g/day
Dietary Supplement: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT05265455
Lead Sponsor
University of Bologna
Brief Summary

DESCO is a randomized clinical trial, controlled against placebo, performed to evaluate the effect of a phytosterol-based product (2.5 g/day), after 3 weeks of intake, on the lipid profile, also in relation to the quality of the diet, in subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia and low / moderate global cardiovascular risk.

Detailed Description

This is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, monocentric cross over clinical study conducted in Italy.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the fasting lipid profile of adults with moderate hypercholesterolemia and a low/very low cardiovascular risk, after 3 weeks of supplementation with 2.5 g/day of plant sterols, vs placebo, and to assess the relationship between the effects of the supplementation and the diet.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  • Total cholesterol plasma levels between 200 and 240 mg/dL and/or LDL cholesterol levels between 130 and 160 mg/dL
  • Triglyceride plasma levels <200 mg / dL
  • Cardiovascular risk at 10 years (according to the SCORE algorithm) <5%.
  • Signature of the informed consent form
Exclusion Criteria
  • Subjects in secondary prevention for cardiovascular diseases or with a global cardiovascular risk (according to the SCORE algorithm) > 5% at 10 years
  • Triglyceride plasma levels >200 mg / dL
  • Decompensated diabetes
  • Alcoholism
  • Food allergy
  • Recent intake of functional foods or supplements for cholesterol control
  • Intake of lipid-lowering drugs or drugs affecting lipid metabolism in the last 2 months
  • Alterations in thyroid, hepatic or renal function (transaminases greater than 3 times the maximum values; glomerular filtration rate <30ml / min), muscle diseases, even if subclinical
  • Obesity (BMI> 30)
  • Any medical or surgical condition that could make the patient's adherence to the study protocol complex or inconstant.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Plant sterol supplementationPlant sterols 2.5 g/day2.5 g of phytosterols in pre-dosed sticks (oral supplementation)
PlaceboPlaceboPlacebo in pre-dosed sticks (the same matrix without plant sterols) (oral supplementation)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Fasting lipid profile3 weeks

Evaluation of the effects of the intake of phytosterols on fasting lipid profile, including the following parameters: total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, plasma levels of apolipoproteinB-100.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Weight3 weeks

Evaluation of the effects of the intake of phytosterols on weight in kilograms

BMI3 weeks

Evaluation of the effects of the intake of phytosterols on BMI (weight kilograms and height meters will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2 )

Blood pressure3 weeks

Evaluation of the effects of the intake of phytosterols on blood pressure

Mediterranean index of the diet assessed by validated FFQ3 weeks

Assessment of the relationship between the effects of the supplementation with phytosterols and the Mediterranean index of the diet assessed by using a validated food frequency questionnaire (Gnagnarella et al. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;28:1140-1147).

Abdominal circumference3 weeks

Evaluation of the effects of the intake of phytosterols on abdominal circumference

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital

🇮🇹

Bologna, Italy

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