The Gyrate Atrophy Ocular and Systemic Study characterizes the natural history of ornithine levels and retinal degeneration (RD) associated with disease-causing OAT variants in the presence of standard care dietary treatment regimens over 4 years. The research goal is to understand the impact of OAT mutations on plasma ornithine levels and retinal degeneration. Funding Source- FDA OOPD
Gyrate atrophy is a rare inherited chorioretinal degeneration that is associated with hyperornithinemia, an inborn error of metabolism caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) gene. Gyrate atrophy is characterized by childhood-onset nyctalopia and sharply demarcated areas of chorioretinal atrophy that initially involve the midperipheral fundus. The atrophic areas typically coalesce and enlarge towards the posterior pole in the second and third decades of life, leading to severe visual field constriction and vision loss if left untreated. The current standard care treatment of gyrate atrophy is an arginine restricted diet that is implemented in practice using dietary protein restriction with essential amino acid supplementation. However, dietary treatment is highly burdensome on patients and negatively impacts quality of life such that only about \~20% of patients are able to comply. Strict adherence to dietary protein restriction (particularly through adolescence), essential amino acid supplementation, and nutritional management of body weight especially during intercurrent illness and pregnancy are among the challenges of treatment. Periods of suboptimal dietary control led to plasma ornithine elevation and progressive chorioretinal degeneration. Investigators are developing gene therapy as a potential one-time treatment that could arrest disease progression while avoiding or reducing the need for dietary treatment. To facilitate a future interventional gene therapy clinical trial, there is a need to evaluate natural history of and the relationship between potential clinical trial outcome measures. The objectives of the OAT gene natural history study are as follows: 1. Natural History 1. Characterize the natural history of retinal degeneration associated with disease-causing OAT variants in the presence of standard care dietary treatment regimens over four (4) years, using functional, structural, and patient-reported outcome measures. 2. Characterize the natural history of ornithine levels associated with disease-causing OAT variants in the presence of standard care dietary treatment regimens over four (4) years. 3. Determine within-patient variability of ornithine levels associated with disease-causing OAT variants in the presence of standard care dietary treatment regimens over four (4) years. 4. Evaluate inter-eye correlation on ocular measures. 2. Metabolic-Structure-Function Relationships 1. Explore relationship of structural outcomes with functional outcomes in individuals with disease-causing OAT variants. 2. Explore relationship of plasma ornithine levels with structural and functional outcomes in individuals with disease-causing OAT variants. 3. Identify Rapid Progressors 1. Explore possible risk factors (genotype, phenotype, environmental, comorbidities, and dietary therapy/supplements) for progression of the functional, structural, and patient-reported outcome measures over four (4) years in individuals with disease-causing OAT variants. 2. Explore possible risk factors (genotype, phenotype, environmental, comorbidities, and dietary therapy/supplements) for ornithine levels over four (4) years in individuals with disease-causing OAT variants. The expected impact of the OAT gene natural history study is to inform a future interventional clinical trial design and implementation, including the following: 1. Determine within-patient variability of ornithine levels. 2. Develop quantitative measures of progression of the area of preserved retina and establish its reproducibility, sensitivity to change, and relationship with other measures. 3. Establish rates of progression of retinal degeneration on all functional, structural, and patient-reported outcome measures, and determine which measures are most sensitive to change. 4. Determine primary time points and duration for a planned future treatment trial. 5. Use variability and inter-eye correlation of outcomes for trial sample size calculations. 6. Identify candidates for the future trial, including eligibility criteria based on risk factors and cut points for severity of disease most likely to benefit from treatment. 7. Establish study procedures and workflows for practical implementation of the same testing procedures in a future trial.
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States
Johns Hopkins University, Wilmer Eye Institute
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Harvard Univ., Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Structural Outcome: Characterize Change using Quantitative Measures of Progression of the Area of Preserved Retina
Measured by Wide Field Fundus Autofluorescence (FAF)
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Structural Outcome: Characterize Change using Quantitative Measures of Progression of the Area of Preserved Retina (Use with FAF for assessments)
Measured by wide field color photography
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Metabolic Outcome: Characterize Change in Plasma Ornithine Level
Obtained by fasting plasma amino acids panel and evaluated by a central lab
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Metabolic Outcome: Characterize Change in Blood Spot Ornithine Level
Obtained by fasting blood spot test amino acids panel and evaluated by a central lab
Time frame: Baseline and every 4 months until study completion (4 years)
Structural Outcome: Ellipsoid zone (EZ) area
Measured by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT)
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Structural Outcome: Area of Post Subcapsular Cataract
Measured by Red Reflex Photography
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Structural Outcome: Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) Area and Macular Vessel Density
Measured by OCTA Ancillary Test at Subset of Sites
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Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
46
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
INRET Clínica e Centro de Pesquisa
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Helsinki University Hospital
Helsinki, Finland
Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, INSERM-DGOS CIC1423
Paris, France
University of Tuebingen, Centre for Ophthalmology
Tübingen, Germany
Vista Vision Eye Clinic
Brescia, Italy
...and 1 more locations
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Functional Outcome: Visual Field Sensitivity Measured with Quantitative Topographic Analysis (Hill of Vision)
Measured by Octopus 900 Pro
Time frame: Screening visit and every year until study completion (4 years) with the exception of baseline.
Functional Outcome: Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) letter score
Measured on the Electronic Visual Acuity (EVA) system or ETDRS charts.
Time frame: Screening visit and every year until study completion (4 years) with the exception of baseline.
Functional Outcome: Low Visual Acuity Test - for participants unable to see ETDRS letters
Measured on the Berkeley Rudimentary Vision Test (BRVT)
Time frame: Screening visit and every year until study completion (4 years) with the exception of baseline.
Functional Outcome: ETDRS Best Corrected Low Luminance Visual Acuity Letter Score
Measured on the Electronic Visual Acuity (EVA) system or ETDRS charts.
Time frame: Screening visit and every year until study completion (4 years) with the exception of baseline.
Functional Outcome: Change in Mean Retinal Sensitivity
Measured by Fundus-Guided Microperimetry (MP)
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Functional Outcome: Change in Full-Field Retinal Sensitivity
Measured by full-field stimulus threshold (FST) testing to blue, white, and red stimuli
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Functional Outcome: Change in Retinal Function
Measured by full-field electroretinogram (ERG) amplitudes and timing in response to rod- and cone-specific stimuli.
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)
Metabolic Outcome: Proline, lysine, glutamine, glutamate, arginine, and related metabolite: creatine and its precursor guanidinoacetate
Obtained by fasting plasma amino acids panel and evaluated by a central lab
Time frame: Two (2) fasting plasma samples collected on two (2) different days, within ten (10) days of Baseline Visit date and every year until study completion (4 years)
Metabolic Outcome: Level of dietary protein control
Obtained from serum albumin sample evaluated by a central lab
Time frame: Baseline and every year until study completion (4 years)