Electronic-health Application To Measure Outcomes REmotely Clinical Trial (EAT MORE)

This is a phase II feasibility, safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy study of an e-Health application versus in-person nutritional counseling to maintain or increase weight in patients with neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD). Primary Objectives include the feasibility, safety, tolerability and efficacy of an e-Health application to maintain or increase body weight compared to in-person nutritional counseling. Secondary Objectives are to measure the number of calories required to maintain or increase body weight in neurodegenerative diseases at all stages of the disease. Tertiary Objectives are to test the effects of an e-Health application compared to in-person nutritional counseling on disease progression using the ALSFRS-R, UHDRS or UDysRS, on survival, and on quality of life using the PROMIS SF v1.1 scale.

This is a single center, randomized, open-label, placebo controlled, parallel group study. The study treatment period is approximately 6 months and observation period is approximately 7 months. There are three parallel treatment groups: in-person nutritional counseling, nutritional counseling using an e-Health App, and standard care. Subjects will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio using a computer-generated randomization scheme. Subjects in the two intervention arms will be given caloric recommendations designed to cause weight stability or modest weight gain, depending on their current BMI and weight loss history. All participants in the intervention arms will receive counseling either in-person or remotely through the App by registered dietitians (RD) working in the Bionutrition department of the Clinical Research Center at MGH. At MGH, approximately 150 ALS subjects (50 per treatment group) will be enrolled. Approximately 75-150 PD and HD subjects will enroll.

Neurodegenerative Disease, Weight Loss, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Cachexia

Participants in the in-person nutritional counseling arm will meet with a Registered Dietitian at every clinic visit and will also receive regular phone calls to monitor weight and food intake. Participants' individual dietary needs will be calculated using baseline calorie consumption, weight history, disease status and current activity level.

Participants randomized to the e-Health App arm with receive nutritional counseling using the e-Health Application. Participants will enter weights at home and complete electronic food records using the App. Participants' individual dietary needs will be calculated using baseline calorie consumption, weight history, disease status and current activity level. Participants will receive these calorie recommendations through the Application.

Participants are allowed to receive all usual treatments and medications. Participation in other research studies is allowed.

The Primary Aim is to study the feasibility and efficacy to maintain or increase body weight of an e-Health application and in-person nutritional counseling compared to standard of care and to each other. Weights were measured in the clinic every 3 months.

Secondary aims include measuring the number of calories required to maintain or increase body weight in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Total daily energy intake was calculated using 4 day food records at baseline, 3 months and 6 months

To study the safety of an e-Health application and in-person nutritional counseling compared to standard of care and to each other.

Tolerability: The Number of Participants Who Complete the Study While Complying With at Least 80% of the Counseling Sessions

Disease progression will be measured using disease-specific outcome measures (the ALSFRS-R scale). The range of the ALSFRS-R is 0-40 with higher scores indicating better function. Change in ALSFRS-R is reported as units/month.

Inclusion Criteria: Adults with neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, PD or HD with or without a history of unintentional weight loss. Male or female subjects aged 18 years or older. Participants must be capable of providing informed consent and complying with trial procedures. Participants must have an MGH swallowing screening tool score>5 at the time of the screening visit Participants or a designated caregiver must be able to obtain home weights and communicate to their RD Exclusion Criteria: Clinical evidence of unstable medical or psychiatric illness, in the investigator's judgment, which would prevent the participant from completing their assessments. BMI > 35 combined with a history of cardiovascular disease; or a history of diabetes regardless of BMI.

Wills AM, Garry J, Hubbard J, Mezoian T, Breen CT, Ortiz-Miller C, Nalipinski P, Sullivan S, Berry JD, Cudkowicz M, Paganoni S, Chan J, Macklin EA. Nutritional counseling with or without mobile health technology: a randomized open-label standard-of-care-controlled trial in ALS. BMC Neurol. 2019 May 29;19(1):104. doi: 10.1186/s12883-019-1330-6.