Title

LOSS- Louisiana Obese Subjects Study
Loss - Louisiana Obese Subjects Study
  • Phase

    Phase 4
  • Study Type

    Interventional
  • Study Participants

    390
LOSS is a pragmatic clinical evaluation of intensive medical approaches to weight loss for individuals with extreme obesity (body mass index [BMI] 40-60 kg/m2). The intensive medical treatment is designed to produce 25% weight loss from baseline and to maintain at least 20% weight loss from baseline. The intensive medical treatment is compared to a usual care treatment model where individuals utilize self directed approaches to weight loss. The active treatment period is three years, followed by two years of observation.
LOSS is a pragmatic clinical trial designed to evaluate intensive medical treatment for patients with severe obesity who would otherwise qualify as candidates for obesity surgery and who are covered by the Louisiana Office of Group Benefits (OGB) Health Insurance. LOSS will track the efficacy, safety and costs to compare two patient management approaches - intensive medical treatment, or a usual medical care treatment model. Recruitment will be done by mailers to insured patients to identify eligible candidates. We will randomly assign eligible volunteers to intensive medical treatment (n=240) or usual care (n=240). Patients will be evaluated annually and medical treatments are given in eight clinics around Louisiana. The eight sites are in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Hammond, New Orleans and Shreveport.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesize that we can achieve weight loss after two and five years that exceeds 20% from baseline with intensive medical management of persons with class III obesity and that this weight loss is greater than that achieved with usual medical care including access to a weight management web site.

Our secondary hypotheses are: 1) that the weight loss at year 2 and 5 in the intensive medical group is associated with improvements in blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipids, health-related quality of life and psychosocial measures and is greater improvement than that achieved with usual medical care and access to a website; and 2) that total medical costs in the intensive medical management group will compare favorably to total medical costs in the usual care group (i.e., total reimbursement from insurance costs will be less, even when the expense of the treatment is considered).

Overall Aim:

The overarching aim of this study is to observe the effect of an intensive medical management program versus usual care for class III obesity on weight loss, total medical costs and, on measures of health risks associated with weight loss (blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, and health-related quality of life).

Specific Aims:

Primary: The primary specific aim of the LOSS study is to test the hypothesis that the weight loss efficacy at years 2 and 5 for an intensive medical treatment program for Class III obesity produces greater weight loss, as compared to a condition of usual care.

Secondary: The secondary aims of the study are:

To evaluate the percent change in body weight, absolute change in body weight (kilograms) and percent excess weight lost from baseline at months 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 for medically treated patient groups, and at years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for both groups.
To evaluate the number and proportion of subjects who maintain 100% and 80% of 12 months weight lost at months 24, 36, 48 and 60 for medically treated patients and at years 2, 3, 4 and 5 for both groups.
To evaluate the changes from baseline in blood pressure, pulse rate, and efficacy laboratory parameters at visits on months 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 for the medically treated patient group, and at years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for both groups.
To assess the safety and tolerability of the intervention regimens at months 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 for the medically treated patient group.
To assess the total medical costs of the participants treated with intensive medical treatment and for the patients receiving usual care at years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
To assess additional psychosocial and economic measures (health-related quality of life, pain, depression, and stress) for the intervention group at months 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months for both groups at years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
To compare subgroups of patients with class III obesity to determine if differences in outcome exist for gender, race, education level, decades of age and presence of co-morbid conditions.

The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is the lead institution for the project. Pennington Management of Clinical Trials (PMCT) will serve as the Coordinating Center to manage enrollment and data acquisition and will report all data of health and cost results to a Data Safety Monitoring Board on a regular basis. Major data reports and scientific publications occur at years 2 and 5.
Study Started
Jul 31
2005
Primary Completion
Dec 31
2007
Study Completion
Jan 31
2008
Results Posted
Jun 07
2010
Estimate
Last Update
Feb 22
2016
Estimate

Behavioral group sessions

group sessions lead by a trained primary care clinic employee

Drug sibutramine, orlistat, diethylpropion

dosage modified according to package insert instructions at discretion of primary care physicians

Behavioral Low Calorie Diet, Health One

liquid diet for 8-12 weeks to induce weight loss

Other Intensive Medical Combination Therapy for Obesity

Very Low Calorie Liquid diet, Group Behavioral Therapy, Meal Replacement Therapy, Obesity Pharmacotherapy and a "Treatment Toolbox".

Other Control Condition

Access to the Mayo Clinic weight management website and usual care from the primary care physician

1 Experimental

Intensive Medical Intervention including Low Calorie Liquid Diet, Weight loss medications, Group Behavioral Therapy and a "Tool Box" approach

2 Active Comparator

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website sponsored by the Mayo Clinic

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Participant in the Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), Managed Care Organization (MCO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) programs of the Louisiana State Employees Group Benefits Health Insurance
Agree to travel for treatment to the assigned study site
Agree to randomized treatment assignment
Male and females age 20-60 years
Body Mass Index >40kg/m2 but < 60 kg/m2
Females must be non-pregnant and using an approved contraception method
Complete Blood Count (CBC): normal hematocrit, white count and platelet count, unless waived by Principal Investigator (PI)
Uric Acid <9.0 mg/dl
Normal Creatinine
Normal Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Negative urine pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential
Able to give written informed consent
Able to comply with study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

Factors that may limit adherence to interventions or affect conduct of the trial:

Unable or unwilling to give informed consent or communicate with local study staff
Hospitalization for psychiatric illness or substance use/abuse within the past year
Self-report of alcohol or substance abuse within the past twelve months
Current major depressive episode or history of suicidal behaviors
Endorsement of significant recent suicidal ideation (as determined by PI)
Travel plans that do not permit participation
History of prior bariatric surgery, small bowel resection, or extensive bowel resection
Current use of chronic systemic corticosteroids, appetite suppressants, antipsychotic medication, herbal medications for weight loss or any medication not approved by the PI.
Another member of the household is a participant or staff member in the study
History of eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or binge eating
Diagnosis of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, or personality disorder (as determined by the PI)
Currently pregnant or nursing or plans to become pregnant in the next five years
Except for non-melanoma skin cancer, cancer requiring treatment in the past five years, unless the prognosis is excellent
Self report of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive, hepatitis C or active tuberculosis
Cardiovascular disease event within the past year
Severe congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Functional Class III, IV)
Second degree or greater heart block
Blood Pressure >160 systolic or >100 diastolic on two consecutive visits, unless treated and re-screened
Based upon responses to psychological screening or an interview, patients may be excluded by the study psychologist.
Other medical, psychiatric, or behavioral limitations that in the judgment of the investigator may interfere with study participation or the ability to follow the intervention protocol.
Pregnancy is to be avoided during the study. Women who have not had a hysterectomy or oophorectomy must have a negative urine pregnancy test result at screening. Women of childbearing potential will be allowed to participate if they have undergone tubal ligation, or use one of the following types of contraception: properly used condom or diaphragm, oral contraceptives, hormonal implant, or intrauterine device (IUD). Sexual abstinence may constitute an acceptable birth control method for this study with investigator approval. Women with male partners who have had a successful vasectomy (more than one year of unprotected sexual intercourse without pregnancy) are not required to use additional birth control methods as long as the relationship remains exclusive, and the woman agrees to use an approved contraception method with any other male partner. Questions regarding individual patient contraceptive practices should be directed to the Principal Investigator.

Summary

Intensive Medical Intervention

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

All Events

Event Type Organ System Event Term Intensive Medical Intervention Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

Percent Change From Baseline Weight

Intensive Medical Intervention

-9.7
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.3

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

-0.4
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 0.7

Change in Weight From Baseline in Kilograms (kg)

Intensive Medical Intervention

-12.7
kg (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.7

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

-0.5
kg (Mean)
Standard Error: 0.9

Change in Blood Pressure

Intensive Medical Intervention

dystolic blood pressure

-4.4
millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.8

systolic blood pressure

-14.7
millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.4

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

dystolic blood pressure

-3.2
millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.5

systolic blood pressure

-8.6
millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.6

Percent Change in Blood Tests- Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Triglycerides and Uric Acid

Intensive Medical Intervention

HDL

7.9
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.8

LDL

1.8
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.4

Triglycerides

-9.2
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 3.5

Uric Acid

-3.0
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.4

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

HDL

1.5
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.8

LDL

0.7
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.4

Triglycerides

-4.8
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 4.3

Uric Acid

3.1
Percent change (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.8

Change in Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) in Milligrams Per Deciliter (mg/dL)

Intensive Medical Intervention

2.4
mg/dL (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.1

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

6.7
mg/dL (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.1

Change in Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) Questionnaire Score

The DASI was used to access changes in fuctional capacity during the study. The highest score possible is 58.2 and the lowest is 0. The score for each individual question varied depending on the intensity of the activity being evaluated. The higher the score, the more physically active a person is to this set of activities of daily living questions.

Intensive Medical Intervention

-2.1
units on a scale (Mean)
Standard Error: 1.7

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

-11.6
units on a scale (Mean)
Standard Error: 2.0

Total

390
Participants

Age, Continuous

47.2
years (Mean)
Standard Deviation: 0.6

Age, Categorical

Race/Ethnicity, Customized

Region of Enrollment

Sex: Female, Male

Overall Study

Intensive Medical Intervention

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website

Drop/Withdrawal Reasons

Intensive Medical Intervention

Access to Weight Loss Informational Website