Clinical trial NCT02896452: Astronaut Vision Issues in a Ground Analog Population: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Official title: Astronaut Vision Issues and One Carbon Metabolism: Expanded Polymorphism Evaluation and Evaluation in a Potential Analog Population
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Conditions: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Lead sponsor: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Sponsor class: FED
Collaborators: name: University of Texas
name: Mayo Clinic
name: University of Florida
name: University of North Carolina
name: Coastal Eye Associates
First posted: 2016-09-12
Enrollment: 60
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 50
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Premenopausal women, age 18-50 years.

Brief summary: The investigators have documented a genetic predisposition for some astronauts to develop ophthalmologic issues (e.g., choroidal folds, cotton wool spots, optic disc edema). Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have several characteristics similar to those described in astronauts, including: higher homocysteine concentrations, increased incidence of intracranial hypertension, increased retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, increased incidence of white matter hyperintensities on MRI, increased androgen concentrations (or androgen responses to space flight), and indices of altered carbohydrate metabolism. Women with PCOS have not been evaluated in detail regarding the occurrence of other anomalies observed in astronauts including choroidal folds, optic disc edema and cotton wool spots as well as changes in cycloplegic refraction, and optic nerve sheath diameter. While researchers have evaluated one-carbon metabolism pathway polymorphisms re: PCOS, and initial studies show an association with certain one-carbon polymorphisms, none have looked at the complete set of SNPs proposed here. This study will evaluate women with PCOS and/or idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) to assess one-carbon biochemistry and genetics and their possible correlation with ophthalmologic findings. The investigators aim to clarify the relationship of one carbon metabolism and ophthalmic findings in astronauts and patients with PCOS and/or IIH.

Detailed description: Evidence from initial analysis of 5 SNPs in the one-carbon metabolism pathway suggests that one-carbon pathway genes may predict risk of ocular changes and possible vision impairment during and after long-duration space flight. It is not precisely known whether it is these particular genes, or a haplotype of genes that are linked to these genes, that influence risk. Furthermore, ancestry is a strong factor that predicts SNP occurrence in a population, and the association between one-carbon metabolism and the risk of vision-related issues may simply stem from the fact that one particular ancestry has a higher prevalence of these SNPs.

The investigators propose that there are other SNPs in the one-carbon metabolism pathway that alter risk of ocular changes and potential vision impairment during long-duration spaceflight. To that end, extended studies of one-carbon genetics in astronauts have recently been initiated. The investigators hypothesize that the differences between genetic, biochemical, and ophthalmologic findings in PCOS and/or IIH patients and controls will mirror many of the differences found between astronauts who had ophthalmic issues during and after flight.

SPECIFIC AIMS

The key aims of this study are to: a) determine extensive one carbon pathway and related biochemistry, targeted metabolomics, and genetics (523 SNPs of the 85 major genes), and b) conduct ophthalmologic exams on patients in one of four treatment groups:

1. women diagnosed with PCOS without IIH
2. women diagnosed with PCOS and IIH
3. women diagnosed with IIH without PCOS
4. women without PCOS or IIH Participants will be matched by age and body mass index (BMI). Statistical analyses will be used to evaluate the independent and shared contributions of age, body mass (BMI), and genetics on biochemical, and ophthalmologic outcomes, with False Discovery Rate adjustments to account for multiple comparisons.

A secondary aim is to combine the patient and control data from this study with ISS crewmember data in order to help inform us on whether or not these two cohorts (astronauts with ophthalmic issues, PCOS patients) share similar associations among one-carbon metabolism genetics and biochemistry and ophthalmologic data identified in the investigators' earlier analyses.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Clinical diagnosis of PCOS and/or IIH
* No current medications for the treatment of PCOS
* Age and BMI-matched healthy women without PCOS or IIH will be used as controls

Exclusion Criteria:

* Clinical diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome
* Untreated hypo/hyperthyroidism, elevated prolactin, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, renal insufficiency or diabetes.
* Currently taking medications that can affect androgen concentrations or insulin sensitivity.
* Pregnant, breast-feeding, taking oral contraceptives or currently smoking.
* Taking medications that affect folate or B12 metabolism, such as methotrexate, trimethoprim, triamterene, phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, gabapentin, or primidone or topiramate.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Genetic Testing related to 1-Carbon Metabolism Pathway for 523 SNPs
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Ophthalmologic exam -OCT
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Ophthalmologic exam -Fundus
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Ophthalmologic exam - US
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Ophthalmologic exam -Vision
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Ophthalmologic exam -IOP
timeFrame: 1 Day
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Questionnaire
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: B-vitamin Status - folate
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: B-vitamin Status - B12
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: B-vitamin Status - serum B12
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Testosterone
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Hemoglobin
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Antigen
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Insulin
timeFrame: 1 Day
measure: Homocysteine
timeFrame: 1 Day
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Rochester
country: United States
facility: Mayo Clinic
state: Minnesota
Study officials:
affiliation: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
name: Scott M Smith, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Mayo Clinic
name: Alice Y Chang, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Zwart SR, Gregory JF, Zeisel SH, Gibson CR, Mader TH, Kinchen JM, Ueland PM, Ploutz-Snyder R, Heer MA, Smith SM. Genotype, B-vitamin status, and androgens affect spaceflight-induced ophthalmic changes. FASEB J. 2016 Jan;30(1):141-8. doi: 10.1096/fj.15-278457. Epub 2015 Aug 27.
citation: Zwart SR, Gibson CR, Mader TH, Ericson K, Ploutz-Snyder R, Heer M, Smith SM. Vision changes after spaceflight are related to alterations in folate- and vitamin B-12-dependent one-carbon metabolism. J Nutr. 2012 Mar;142(3):427-31. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.154245. Epub 2012 Feb 1.