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CompletedNCT02980406Updated Dec 2, 2016

The Role of FODMAPs in Upper GI Effects, Colonic Motor Activity and Gut-brain Signaling at the Behavioral Level

An interventional study of FODMAP and Glucose (control) in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, sponsored by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven. Completed. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-12-02.

Sponsored by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven · Not applicable and Interventional

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In this study, the investigators aim to assess the effect of acute FODMAP infusion on gastric motility and on gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms. 20 healthy volunteers and 20 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) will undergo respectively four and two/three pressure measurements of the stomach after an overnight fast as a measure for gastric motility. During this pressure measurement, which takes approximately 4 hours, one of four FODMAP or control solutions will be administered directly into the stomach through a nasogastric tube. Administration will be stopped when the participant is fully satiated. The four solutions that will be tested in healthy volunteers are (1) a fructan solution, (2) a fructose solution, (3) a FODMAP mix and (4) a glucose solution as a control. In IBS patients, only the fructan and glucose solution will be tested, where after they can choose to come for a third visit to test the fructose solution. The solutions will be tested on separate occasions in a randomized order.

During the pressure measurement, participants will be asked to complete several questionnaires: (1) a gastrointestinal symptom questionnaire to assess their gastrointestinal symptoms, (2) a satiation questionnaire during infusion of one of the solutions, (3) psychological questionnaires (POMS, SAM, PANAS and STAI) to evaluate possible psychological effects of FODMAP infusion.

The investigators hypothesize that there will be differences in gastric motility between healthy volunteers and IBS patients. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that gastrointestinal symptoms will be increased in IBS patients, and that FODMAP infusion will have more psychological effects in patients than in healthy volunteers.

Read the detailed description

In this study, the investigators aim to assess the effect of acute FODMAP infusion on gastric motility and on gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms. This is a randomised, single-blinded, crossover study of different solutions, differing in FODMAP content. The four solutions that will be tested in healthy volunteers are (1) a fructan solution, (2) a fructose solution, (3) a FODMAP mix and (4) a glucose solution as a control. In IBS patients, only the fructan and glucose solution will be tested, where after they can choose to come for a third visit to test the fructose solution. The different solutions will be tested on separate occasions, three days to one week apart, in a randomised order.

The preparation of each study visit will be identical. After an overnight fast, participants will be asked to come to the clinic. To ensure a low baseline symptom level and low microbial gut activity, a diet low in fibre and fermentable carbohydrates will be followed the day prior to each test (information will be provided to assist this). Participants will be asked to refrain from alcohol, tea and coffee, and intense physical activity for at least 12 hours before participation. They will also be asked to refrain from smoking cigarettes at least one hour before the start of the experiment.

A high resolution manometry probe will be inserted through the nose into the stomach of the participant to assess intragastric pressure as a measure of gastric motility and gastric accommodation. In addition, an infusion tube will be positioned in the proximal stomach to administer the solution. The position of the probes will be checked fluoroscopically (maximum 15 seconds). In this case, relevant guidelines of radioprotection will be adhered to. Patients will be protected by a lead shield that covers the lower abdomen and all personnel will wear a lead jacket. After the catheters are fixed to the subjects' chin, the patients will be asked to sit at a table and remain in this position for the remainder of the experiment.

After a stabilization period of at least 15 minutes, and when the subject is in phase II of the hunger cycle, one of four solutions will be intragastrically administered at a constant speed of 60 mL per minute (determined by an automated system using a peristaltic pump). IGP will be recorded for the duration of the drink infusion and for the following 3 hours. During infusion, the subjects will be asked to score their satiation at 1-minute intervals using a graphic rating scale that combines verbal descriptors on a scale graded of 0-5 (1, threshold; 5, maximum satiety). The intragastric infusion will be stopped as soon as a score of 5 is reached on their satiation scores. In addition, participants will be asked to complete a gastrointestinal symptom questionnaire every 15 minutes. The participant's emotions and mood will be assessed before, immediately after and 1, 2 and 3 hours after infusion, using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the validated Dutch version of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). Emotional state will be repeatedly measured every 15 minutes using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) and Profile of Mood States (POMS)-Fatigue subscale.

02

Conditions studied

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Keywords

  • FODMAP
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Gastric accommodation
  • Gastric motility
  • brain-gut axis
03

In context

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

1,062 studies on the registry are indexed under Irritable Bowel Syndrome; 190 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 71 across 853 interventional studies indexed under Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Browse Irritable Bowel Syndrome studies →

Lead sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven is the lead sponsor of 928 studies on the registry; 261 are open to participants now.

Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Eligibility criteria

Healthy volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged between 18 to 65 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current symptoms or history of gastrointestinal disease, other significant diseases, psychological disorders, drug allergies or pregnancy
  • Taking any medication or have any drug history

IBS patients:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Meet Rome III criteria for IBS. This is defined as recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort at least 3 days/month in the last 3 months associated with two or more of the following: improvement with defecation; onset associated with a change in frequency of stool; or onset associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool
  • Aged between 18 to 65 years old

Exclusion criteria:

  • Other significant diseases, psychological disorder, drug allergies or pregnancy
  • Taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs in the preceding 6 months. All drugs potentially affecting gastrointestinal motility or sensitivity will be discontinued at least 1 week before the gastric emptying study.
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Fructans

    Fructans (FODMAP) are oligosaccharides containing fructose chains. Since the human body lacks hydrolases to break down these saccharides, fructans are poorly absorbed molecules in everybody. The fructan solution used in this study has a concentration of 38g/L.

    Dietary Supplement: FODMAP

  • Active comparator
    Fructose

    Fructose can be found in the diet as free fructose, in sucrose or as polymer structure in fructans. Absorption varies and occurs more rapidly in the presence of glucose than for free fructose because glucose cotransport is involved in the uptake of fructose. Therefore, when fructose is in excess of glucose, it is regarded as a FODMAP. The fructose concentration used in this study is 100g/L.

    Dietary Supplement: FODMAP

  • Active comparator
    FODMAP mix

    The FODMAP mix consists of 20g fructans, 10g galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), 30g fructose, 10g sorbitol and 10g mannitol in one liter of tap water.

    Dietary Supplement: FODMAP

  • Placebo comparator
    Glucose

    Glucose is a carbohydrate that is not classified as FODMAP, and is therefore used as a control in this study. The concentration of the glucose solution in this study is 100g/L.

    Dietary Supplement: Glucose (control)

Interventions

  • Dietary supplementFODMAP

    Fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols are poorly absorbed carbohydrates that are known to cause symptoms in IBS patients.

  • Dietary supplementGlucose (control)

    Glucose is not a FODMAP.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in intragastric pressure measured by high resolution manometry

    Intragastric pressure will be assessed as a measure for gastric accommodation and gastric motility

    Time frame: up to 3 hours after administration

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in subjective gastrointestinal symptom scores measured by visual analogue scale of 100 mm

    Time frame: assessment by questionnaire (100 mm Visual Analogue Scale) every 15 minutes, up to 3 hours after administration

  2. Change in mood/emotion measured by Profile Of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire.

    Time frame: POMS (Profile Of Mood States) every 15 minutes up to 3 hours after administration.

  3. Change in mood/emotion measured by Self Assessment Manikin (SAM) questionnaire.

    Time frame: SAM (Self Assessment Manikin) every 15 minutes up to 3 hours after administration.

  4. Change in mood/emotion measured by Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS).

    Time frame: PANAS (Positive And Negative Affect Scale) before, after, 1h, 2h and 3h after administration.

  5. Change in mood/emotion measured by State Trait Anxiety Index questionnaire.

    Time frame: STAI (State Trait Anxiety) before, after, 1h, 2h and 3h after administration.

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Masuy I, Van Oudenhove L, Tack J, Biesiekierski JR. Effect of intragastric FODMAP infusion on upper gastrointestinal motility, gastrointestinal, and psychological symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome vs healthy controls. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2018 Jan;30(1). doi: 10.1111/nmo.13167. Epub 2017 Aug 1. PubMed 28762592 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 2, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02980406
Lead sponsor
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 2, 2016
Start date
Sep 2015
Primary completion
Jun 2016
Completion
Jun 2016
Last update
Dec 2, 2016

Study contacts

Jan Tack, MD, PhD
principal investigator · UZ Leuven / KU Leuven

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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