PWSA (USA) Research Grant Approved Dec. 2003
“Effect of Somatostatin on Ghrelin Concentrations, Food Seeking Behaviour and Weight in Patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome”
(Dr. Jean-Pierre Chanoine)

Researchers at British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital (Vancouver, Canada) are presently investigating whether inhibition of ghrelin by an analogue of somatostatin could represent a safe and efficient approach to decrease appetite and weight gain in children and adolescents with Prader Willi syndrome.
Concentrations of ghrelin, a newly-discovered hormone that stimulates appetite, are high in subjects with PWS. Analogues of somatostatin have been shown to decrease ghrelin concentrations both in subjects with and without PWS.
The study involves 2 periods of 4 months each, separated by a 6 month “washout period”. All subjects are receiving, in random order, placebo and somatostatin. The first subjects who entered the study are presently entering the second period of the study. The study is blinded and placebo-controlled, meaning that neither the subject (or his/her family) or the investigator know when placebo or somatostatin analogue is injected. So far, no serious side-effects were reported. Analysis of the data will be performed after the last patient has finished the study. Results will be available in 2006.

edited: 03/23/2010