Parasites and risk factors for heart attack and stroke in rural and urban areas of Gabon

ISRCTN ISRCTN12708965
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12708965
Secondary identifying numbers TMA2017-1956
Submission date
21/10/2021
Registration date
26/10/2021
Last edited
26/10/2021
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Circulatory System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Non communicable diseases (NCDs) and Infectious diseases (IDs), such as malaria and intestinal parasites are highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Their dual burden, associated risk factors and impact are poorly studied in Central Africa.
The ParCaM study will estimate and compare the frequency of cardio-metabolic diseases risk factors (CMDRF), including metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with or without intestinal parasite infection (IPIs). Differences between specific age groups, type of parasitism (protozoa, helminths) and geographical (urban versus rural) areas will be emphasized. In addition, risk groups will be identified.

Who can participate?
Volunteers
Age between 18-60 years
Residency in the city where the study will be conducted (for at least two years)
Consent form signed by the participant and the medical investigator at inclusion

What does the study involve?
A standardized World Health Organization STEPwise NCDs surveillance questionnaire will be used to obtain demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and risk factors. Blood pressure, height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference will be measured. A parasitological analysis will identify intestinal protozoa, soil-transmitted helminths including urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis. Clinical chemistry and immunological tests will allow us to identify metabolic syndrome (which involves glucose, insulin, lipids levels) and the chronic inflammation biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-, sCD14, hsCRP). The Framingham score will determine the 10-year cardiovascular risk at the beginning and the end of the follow-up. In Phase 2, selected participants will be included in an 18-month prospective cohort study to estimate the frequency of occurrence of any CMD event or risk factor.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits: Cardiovascular and metabolic health status will be assessed for free, free health check up each year during three years, free treatment of parasitic diseases, cardiovascular tests done_
Risks: small pain at the venous sampling injection site, 7 ML of blood drawn 3 times in 27 months

Where is the study run from?
Universite des Sciences de la Sante (Gabon)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2019 to June 2023

Who is funding the study?
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership

Who is the main contact?
Prof Marielle K. Bouyou Akotet, mariellebouyou@gmail.com

Study website

Contact information

Prof Marielle Karine Bouyou Akotet
Scientific

Department of Parasitology Mycology
Faculté de Médecine
Universite des Sciences de la Sante
Libreville
4009
Gabon

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-7992-4630
Phone +24166303105
Email mariellebouyou@gmail.com

Study information

Study designObervational cohort study
Primary study designObservational
Secondary study designCohort study
Study setting(s)Community
Study typeDiagnostic
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet.
Scientific titleContribution of intestinal parasite infections in the risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases in rural and urban areas of Gabon: a pilot study.
Study acronymParCam
Study objectivesInflammatory response and dysbiosis due to intestinal parasite infection (IPI) lead to dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and their cardiovascular (CVD) consequences. This will be translated into higher frequency of these CMD risk factors (CMDRF) in participants chronically or repeatedly infected when compared to uninfected participants. As exposition to IPI and type of parasitism are different between urban and rural areas, biomarkers of CMDRF will show different patterns according to the urbanisation. Precisely, we hypothesise that there will be more metabolic syndrome, more inflammation (as measured by IL-6, TNF-α, hsCRP) and more monocyte activation (as measured by sCD14) in chronically or repeatedly parasite-infected than in uninfected participants with difference according to urbanisation.
Ethics approval(s)Approved 10/02/2021, Comite National d'ethique pour la Recherche (Bp 2217 Libreville - Gabon; +241 66815320; no email provided), ref: PROT N'002/2020/PR/SG/CNE
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedRisk of cardiometabolic diseases in patients with chronic parasitism
InterventionDuring Phase I, the population and the chief from the districts of Libreville and Koulamoutou from two provinces in Gabon, will be informed about the aim, the importance and the benefit of the study. In addition, the study team will be trained on biological sample collection, testing and storage and the questionnaire related to this study will be tested. Phase I will be carried out over a period of 12 months. Data management standard operating procedures (SOPs) and methodology will be set up.

The second phase will be the cross-sectional survey, which corresponds to the screening for physical and biological risk factors over a 12-15 month period. After eligibility criteria verification and informed consent, interview, clinical examination and blood collection for biochemical tests and further biomarkers measurements will be performed at day 0. On day 1, urine and stools samples will be collected for parasitological tests and for aliquots of consenting participants for further sub-studies and will be stored in a -80°C freezer as well as dried blood spots.
The third phase will be the 27month prospective cohort study comparing the frequency of the occurrence of CMDRF or events including hypertension among the parasite-infected and uninfected participants of urban and rural areas. This phase will include three control visits: visit 1 (12-15 months after inclusion), visit 2 (24-27 months after inclusion), and visit 3 (36-39 months after inclusion). For all these visits, a delay of ± 1 month will be allowed. During each visit, a record of medical history and treatment, a complete clinical examination with blood pressure, determination of blood glucose, HbA1c, and lipids parameters as well as a sample for biomarker measurement and the Framingham score risk will be determined. The parasitological stool analysis will be performed during visits 2 and 3. At the last visit, the complete procedure as performed in phase 2, as well as the complete biomarkers measurement to determine the occurrence of CMD including hypertension or the modification of CMDRF will be realised.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureFrequency or incidence of CMD risk factors (defined as the presence of any of the following conditions: metabolic syndrome, high level of inflammatory and monocyte activation markers, High Framingham score) in parasitic-infected and non-infected individuals in urban versus rural areas (from patient records at months 36-39)
Secondary outcome measuresMeasured using patient records:
1. Incidence of IPIs in urban and rural areas (months 24 – 27, and months 36-39)
2. Prevalence of new CMDRF in urban and rural areas at the end of the cohort study (months 36-39)
3. Evolution of Framingham score globally and according to the type of parasitism and study area (months 12-15; months 24-27, and months 36-39)
4. Evolution of the levels of inflammatory biomarkers in participants from urban and rural areas (months 12-15; months 24-27, and months 36-39)
5. Incidence of CMDRF, including metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, and high blood pressure in the general population and between groups. (months 36-39)
Overall study start date01/10/2019
Completion date30/06/2023

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
Upper age limit60 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants408
Key inclusion criteria1. Age between 18-60 years
2. Residency in the city where the study will be conducted (since at least two years)
3. Consent form signed by the participant and the medical investigator at inclusion
Key exclusion criteria1. Patients <18 years and >60years
2. Severe clinical event under investigation, that is life-threatening, uncontrolled
3. Refusal to participate in the study
4. Patient who should travel a long distance to the study site
5. History of coronary disease or stroke
6. Active/chronic viral hepatitis
7. HIV infection
8. Tuberculosis known patients
9. Fever or antimalarial drug intake within the last 2 months
10. Other antiparasitic treatment within the 6 months preceding the recruitment
Date of first enrolment23/09/2020
Date of final enrolment31/01/2023

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Gabon

Study participating centre

Universite Des Sciences De La Sante- Centre De Recherche Biomedicale en Pathogenes Infectieux Et Pathologies Associees
Faculte De Medecine
Libreville
4009
Gabon

Sponsor information

European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
Charity

Anna van Saksenlaan 51 2593 HW
The Hague
2593
Netherlands

Phone +31 70 344 0880
Email edctpgrants@edctp.org
Website http://www.edctp.org/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/031jv9v19

Funders

Funder type

Government

European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date30/03/2024
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planThe fellow will work through the National Control Programmes to undertake every possible effort to ensure that results and products from the project are made available to the communities. Community feedback will be incorporated into our quarterly reports. Dissemination of project data to the community, civil society groups, NGOs, donors and funders will be made through regular email contact and sharing of outputs.
For the local and international scientific committee, the dissemination of scientific knowledge will be made available through publications in peer reviewed journals (at least 3 in open access), oral communications or poster presentations during scientific conferences (e.g. EDCTP Forum, ASTMH meeting, French Hearth Diseases annual congress, African Society of Parasitology congress in 2020 and 2022, African Society of Cardiology; French Society of Parasitology), meetings etc.: The first publication will report, at the end of the cross-sectional survey “the sociodemographics and lifestyle risk factors for NCDs and IPIs in urban versus rural cities of Gabon . The other publications will present the following aspects:
- Prevalence of IPIs mong urban and rural inhabitants of settlements of Gabon
- Biomarkers of CMDR in inhabitants of two countries from west and central Africa
- Incidence of IPIs and relationship with biomarkers of CMDRF in rural versus urban settlements of Gabon
- Prevalence of cardiovascular abnormalities before and after 24 months of antiparasitic treatment in patients with chronic parasitism.
IPD sharing planStatement will be made available later

Editorial Notes

26/10/2021: Trial's existence confirmed by Comite National d'ethique pour la Recherche, Gabon