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CompletedNCT00331331Updated Oct 30, 2024

The Vitreous Proteome and Inflammatory Mediators in Ocular Inflammatory Disease

An observational study in Uveitis, Vasculitis and Ocular Inflammatory Disease, sponsored by National Eye Institute (NEI). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-10-30.

Sponsored by National Eye Institute (NEI) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-only
Time perspective
Other
Enrollment
147
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

This study will examine the proteins of people with uveitis, or inflammation of the eyes. Evaluating the vitreous, the colorless transparent substance that fills the eyeball in back of the lens, is now possible with the use of new microtechnology. There is an opportunity to evaluate the kinds of proteins that are present in severe, noninfectious sight-threatening uveitis.

Up to 300 participants, ages 18 and older with the appropriate ocular disorders and where vitreous or anterior chamber fluid specimens can be obtained, will be enrolled in the study. This number includes participants that were previously enrolled as part of the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) study, as well as patients who participate in other intramural NIH studies and agree to participate in this study. Researchers will study the vitreous that will be removed from patients' eyes during an operation to insert a steroid implant. The steroid implant is used instead of immunosuppressive therapy, a way to reduce the action of the immune system.

Patients will undergo a procedure involving a small hole made in the eye into which the implant is placed. Normally a small amount of the vitreous comes out during that procedure, and in this study, the vitreous specimen will be taken for testing of inflammatory products. At the same time, a small sample of blood, about 1-1/2 tablespoons, will be collected so that the researchers can compare inflammatory products that may be in the blood with those in the vitreous. If a patient needs to have the implant placed again during the study, he or she would be asked permission for collection of the vitreous and blood samples, as previously. Samples collected will not be used to diagnose patients' conditions or to change any treatments being done. All samples will be labeled with special code numbers so that there is no identifying information about patients. This study will not involve examinations or scheduled visits of patients.

Read the detailed description

Newer therapies to treat many ocular disorders including uveitis are being considered and studied. We do not have a clear picture as to what lymphokines/chemokines are present in the vitreous or anterior chamber fluid of patients with active intraocular inflammatory disease as well as other disorders with a proposed inflammatory component such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetes. Further, no studies have been yet performed evaluating the proteome of the vitreous or anterior chamber fluid in the uveitic, AMD and diabetic state.

This is a natural history study with specimens taken after indicated surgery for patients with uveitis and other studies. Specimens of anterior chamber fluid and vitreous will be evaluated for 32 cytokines and the proteome using systems permitting the evaluation of small amounts of material. A serum sample will be taken at the same time to compare with the lymphokine profile found in the vitreous. Previously, patients participating in the MUST (Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment) study, a randomized study evaluating an ocular steroid implant versus standard immunosuppressive therapy for the treatment of intermediate and posterior uveitis, were enrolled. However, as the MUST study is complete; we are currently only accepting participants from the NEI or other intramural NIH studies where permission is obtained from the patient to allow such evaluations to be done.

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Conditions studied

  • Uveitis
  • Vasculitis
  • Ocular Inflammatory Disease

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Keywords

  • Uveitis
  • Intermediate Uveitis
  • OCULAR INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
  • Macular Edema
  • Vasculitis
  • Natural History
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In context

Uveitis

335 studies on the registry are indexed under Uveitis; 37 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 147 is above the median of 100 across 107 observational studies indexed under Uveitis.

Browse Uveitis studies →

Lead sponsor

National Eye Institute (NEI) is the lead sponsor of 266 studies on the registry; 17 are open to participants now.

Of its 8 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 8 (100%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Up to 300 participants will be enrolled in the study. This number includes participants that were previously enrolled as part of the MUST study, as well as patients who participate in other intramural NIH studies and agree to participate in this study. The MUST study collection has been completed and this study is open to all qualifying participants.

Inclusion criteria

Participants must participate in a study that permits the evaluation of specimens.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Eligible participants who do not wish to donate their vitreous specimen or anterior chamber fluid, as appropriate, or blood sample or undergo a blood draw for the purposes of this research study.

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Study design

Observational model
Case-only
Time perspective
Other
Enrollment
147 participants (actual)
Biospecimen retention
Samples with dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Patients

    Participants with appropriate ocular disorders who were previously enrolled as part of the MUST study and patients who participate in other intramural NIH studies

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. To compare the vitreous and anterior chamber fluid immune/protein profile with that of the peripheral blood.

    To compare the vitreous and anterior chamber fluid immune/protein profile with that of the peripheral blood.

    Time frame: duration of the study

  2. To begin to develop a proteomic picture of the vitreous and anterior chamber fluid.

    To begin to develop a proteomic picture of the vitreous and anterior chamber fluid.

    Time frame: duration of study

  3. To gather information about the kinds of cytokines/lymphokines, biomarkers, proteome and exosomes that are present in the vitreous and AC fluid of an eye with uveitis as well as other retinal disorders such as AMD, diabetes and others.

    To gather information about the kinds of cytokines/lymphokines, biomarkers, proteome and exosomes that are present in the vitreous and AC fluid of an eye with uveitis as well as other retinal disorders such as AMD, diabetes and others.

    Time frame: duration of the study

07

Study locations

1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
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References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 30, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00331331
Lead sponsor
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 29, 2006
Start date
Feb 14, 2007
Primary completion
Feb 1, 2019
Completion
Feb 1, 2019
Last update
Oct 30, 2024

Study contacts

Emily Y Chew, M.D.
principal investigator · National Eye Institute (NEI)

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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