Scalp Hair Metabolomics in Severe Obesity

Singapore General Hospital60 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this research study is to investigate how body weight and weight-loss surgery affect the natural chemicals found in scalp hair over time. We will also find out how common and severe hair thinning/hair loss and muscle loss are in the first 6 months after bariatric surgery.

The investigators will recruit 30 subjects with severe obesity scheduled for bariatric surgery and 30 healthy-weight controls. Following written informed consent, the investigators will collect the study subject's medical information, conduct a dietary and quality-of-life survey, take body measurements, obtain scalp photos, perform a hair-pull test, collect a hair sample, and conduct muscle strength testing. Controls will be assessed only at baseline. Those with severe obesity will return at 4 ± 2 weeks, 12 ± 4 weeks, and 26 ± 4 weeks following bariatric surgery to repeat the study procedures.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Obesity & Overweight Hair Loss Metabolomics Bariatric Surgery

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 21 YearsMax age: 70 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: All subjects: 1. Age 21-70 years 2. Ability to provide informed consent Healthy weight controls: 1. BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 2. No chronic disease 3. No long-term medications Severe obesity: 1. BMI of \> 32.5 kg/m2 2. Scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery Exclusion Criteria: 1. Pregnancy 2. Any factors likely to limit adherence to study protocol 3. Any history of autoimmune or scarring alopecia (eg. alopecia areata, discoid lupus, lichen planopilaris)

Locations (1)

Singapore General Hospital

Singapore, Singapore

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Amino acid concentration

Post-surgery changes in scalp hair amino acid concentration following bariatric surgery

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study duration at 6 months

Secondary Outcomes

Severity of hair loss

The severity of hair loss is measured by quantifying the number of hairs lost during the hair pull test

Time frame: From the time of enrolment until the end of the study at 6 months

Scalp hair amino acid concentration (between groups)

Differences in scalp hair amino acid concentration between controls and those with severe obesity

Time frame: At the time of enrollment

Grip strength

The post-surgery changes in grip strength measured using handgrip dynamometer

Time frame: From enrollment until the end of the study at 6 months

Sit to stand speed

Time taken to complete sit to stand test after bariatric surgery

Time frame: From enrollment until study completion at 6 months

Hair-specific Skindex-29 score

Hair-specific Skindex-29 quality of life questionnaire score after bariatric surgery. scores ranging from 0 (no effect) to 100 (effect always experienced)

Time frame: From enrollment until study completion at 6 months

Central Contacts

Hong Chang Tan, MD PhD

CONTACT

+65 63214658 tan.hong.chang@singhealth.com.sg

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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