This is a pilot study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) as a treatment for chronic refractory obesity. This study will include 6 individuals with chronic refractory obesity, that have failed other treatments including gastric bypass surgery.
Six (N = 6) subjects with chronic refractory obesity will receive bilateral DBS implants in the LHA using the Boston Scientific Vercise Gevia DBS system. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety of DBS of the LHA using the current-driven Boston Scientific device and compare that to the safety data for our previous pilot using the voltage-driven DBS system for the treatment of chronic refractory obesity. The primary efficacy objective is to determine if DBS of the LHA can affect energy balance (i.e. energy intake and/or energy expenditure) in these patients. Secondary outcomes include quality of life outcomes and changes in feeding behaviors. Study participants will undergo a two-part DBS implantation procedure for placement of DBS electrodes in the LHA. Following this procedure, subjects with complete resting metabolic rate (RMR) testing to determine the optimal settings for the LHA stimulation. If effective, DBS technology might offer severely obese adults (BMI of ≥50 kg/m2), who have failed traditional therapy, a non-destructive, adaptable, reversible neurosurgical option for altering eating habits leading to sustained weight loss in the long-term.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Deep Brain Stimulation of the Lateral Hypothalamic Area
Allegheny General Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Safety - Complication Rates
Adverse Events
Time frame: 12 months
Resting metabolic rate (RMR)
RMR assessment of energy expenditure
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months, 4-5 months and 20 months post-surgery
Energy intake
Assessment of energy intake through ad libitum test meals
Time frame: 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Impact of weight on quality of life: IWQOL-Lite
Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Questionnaire (IWQOL-Lite). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 31 items by which the subject will respond to statements under 5 domains. Responses include: Always true, Usually true, Sometimes true, Rarely true, and Never true. All responses are totaled for a final score. Scores range from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the best quality of life.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Binge Eating Scale (BES)
Eating Habits Checklist/Binge Eating Scale (BES). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 16 items that subjects will respond to. Each question has 3-4 separate responses assigned a numerical value. The score range is from 0-46. Higher scores equate to greater binging behavior.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Yale Food Addiction Scale
Yale Food Addiction Scale. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 25 self-reported questions in dichotomous and Likert-type format. Food addiction is recognized when a subject meets at least three of the symptom criteria. The more symptoms met, the more severe the food addiction.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
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Power of Food Scale
Power of Food Scale. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 21 items that subjects will assign a response to. The scale is as follows: 1=I don't agree at all, 2=I agree a little, 3=I agree somewhat, 4=I agree, 5=I strongly agree. All items are scored so that a higher item score indicates a greater responsiveness to the food environment.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Eating inventory
Eating Inventory (EI). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 51 items consisting of three subscales. Scores range from a minimum of 0-0-0 to a maximum of 21-16-14. Higher scores are indicative of a greater level of the eating habits for the respective subscales.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Body shape perception
Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 34 items that subjects will assign a response to. The scale is as follows: 1=Never, 2=Rarely, 3=Sometimes, 4=Often, 5=Very Often, 6=Always. The maximum score is 204, and a higher score indicates more dissatisfaction and discomfort with the body experience.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Food craving inventory
Food Craving Inventory. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. For each of the foods listed (37), subjects will rate the frequency of cravings. The scale is as follows: A=Never, B=Rarely (once or twice), C=Sometimes, D=Often, E=Always/almost every day. Cravings are measured for five types of foods. A total score is also obtained that measures the general construct of food cravings. Higher scores are indicative of more intense cravings.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Food preferences
Food Preference Questionnaire. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. Subjects rate their liking of 62 individual foods on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale is as follows: 1=Dislike a lot, 2=Dislike a little, 3=Neither like nor dislike, 4=Like a little, 5=Like a lot. Higher scores indicate a higher preference.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Delayed reward discounting
Monetary Choice Questionnaire. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 21 items that subjects will indicate a response. The scale is as follows: 0=smaller reward today, 1=larger reward in the specified number of days. The questionnaire is scored by calculating where the respondent's answers place them amid reference discounting curves, where placement amid steeper curves indicates higher levels of impulsivity.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Appetitive sensations
Visual analog scale (VAS) assessment. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. Subjects will rank appetitive sensations on a scale from 0-10.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Quality of life measure: SF-36
Short Form-36 (SF-36). Subjects will rate responses to each of 36 items, (Likert and yes/no responses). Scores for each scale range from 0-100. The lower the score the more disability.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Depression score
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). There are 21 items where subjects will rate their responses on a Likert scale from 0-3. Total scores range from 0-63. Higher total scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Changes in metabolic hormone profiles
Biochemical battery of tests. Blood draw for GLP1, PYY, Ghrelin (total and active) - Fasting
Time frame: 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery
Body mass index
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 2 months, 4-5 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 20 months and 24 months post-surgery
Change in DXA body composition
Change in body composition. Measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan
Time frame: 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgery