PREdictive Risk Factors of Conversion Into Idiopathic RBD. Italian Study

Official title

Redictive Risk Factors of Conversion Into Idiopathic RBD. Italian Study [FAttori di Rischio PREdittivi di Conversione Nell'RBD Idiopatico. STudio ItalianO

Overview

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a REM sleep parasomnia first described in 1986 and characterized by the loss of physiological muscle atonia typical of REM sleep and by the presence of abnormal, sometimes violent, motor activity often related to dream content The observed motor behaviors are often associated to vivid dreams, characterized by an aggressive-defensive content, even if pleasant dreams have been described, resulting in non-violent behaviors. Diagnosis of RBD requires video-polysomnographic recording (vPSG) at a Sleep Center, essential to identify and quantify the complete or intermittent loss of physiological muscle atonia during REM sleep (REM sleep without atonia, RSWA) and record any related motor behaviors. The exact prevalence of RBD in the general population is not known and it seems underrated, but is estimated to be 0.3-1.15%. RBD is defined as idiopathic or isolated (iRBD) when it is not associated with other neurological diseases. The so-called symptomatic RBD, on the other hand, can occur in association with neurodegenerative diseases of the spectrum of alpha-synucleinopathies which include Parkinson's Disease (PD), Multiple System Atrophy (AMS), and Lewy Body Dementia (DLB). In recent years, several follow-up studies on large cohorts of iRBD patients have shown that the idiopathic form evolves towards a symptomatic form in most cases. More precisely, the risk of developing an alpha-synucleinopathies increases over time, with a conversion rate of up to 90% in some studies at 14 years. RBD represents an early marker of neurodegeneration, like a unique open window on the initial, pre-symptomatic phase of alpha-synucleinopathies, which could allow the use of neuroprotective therapies, as soon as they are available. Several longitudinal studies indicated older age, presence of hyposmia, abnormal color vision, minimal extrapyramidal motor signs, mild cognitive impairment, autonomic disturbances, and severity of loss of RSWA as risk factors for neurodegeneration. However, most studies investigated biomarkers separately, with retrospective study designs, in small cohorts or without a rigorous harmonization between centers in the case of multicenter studies. To date, however, there is no reliable pool of biomarkers that predict the phenoconversion into α-synucleinopathy, the timing in which this can occur, and the phenotype of α-synucleinopathy. Furthermore, despite clinical and research evidence suggesting that iRBD is a heterogeneous disorder little attention was paid to different iRBD phenotypes and currently, there are no relevant data on the impact of iRBD on quality of life. Actually, through neural network analysis approaches, it is possible to find out complex correlations between data from different sources (i.e., clinical examinations, questionnaires, biological data, imaging and neurophysiological techniques, etc.) and to identify subgroups of patients sharing the same substantial characteristics. Identifying different iRBD phenotypes through established as well as innovative biomarkers and standardized measures of wellbeing is crucial to better understanding alpha-synucleinopathies, developing targeted interventions, and reducing the disease burden. To this aim, clinical, biological, neurophysiological, neuropsychological and imaging biomarkers need to be prospectively collected, according to standardized and harmonized procedures. This would significantly increase our understanding of the physiopathological processes of alpha-synucleinopathy from the prodromal phase. Indeed, identifying phenotype clusters with both consolidated and innovative biomarkers may lay the groundwork for a reliable characterization of iRBD patients, likely providing the basis for an efficient stratification of patients longitudinally followed. Several disease-modifying therapies are now in development, including but not limited to monoclonal antibodies against alpha-synucleinopathy. Prodromal synucleinopathy patients, such as those with iRBD, are the ideal target to test disease-modifying therapies because the neurodegeneration is still in an early stage and the likelihood to rescue both brain structures and function is higher. The last aim of the FarPResto study is to have a trial-ready cohort of iRBD patients, collected with standardized and harmonized procedures, to be enrolled in upcoming disease-modifying trials. The FARPRESTO project is endorsed by the Italian Association of Sleep Medicine (AIMS) and by The RBD\_Patients society (www.sonnomed.it)

Primary outcome measures

• Identification of predictive risk factors of phenoconversion in patients with iRBD [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]

Secondary outcome measures (6)

• Description of the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with iRBD [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]
• Collection of longitudinal data about the development of alpha-synucleinopathies and estimation of the conversion rate at 3, 5, 7, and 10 years [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]
• Evaluation of the impact of iRBD on the quality of life and sleep [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]
• Assessment of the correlation between phenoconversion, cognitive performance and loss of normal muscle atony during REM sleep [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]
• Identification of RBD phenotypes through different biomarkers [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]
• Validation of vPSG criteria for RBD diagnosis [Time frame: May 25, 2020 - January 31, 2035]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Age: major of 18 years old
• iRBD diagnosis, according to diagnostic criteria of the ICSD second and third edition

Exclusion criteria

• Impossibility to provide or withdraw informed consent and inability to read, write and understand the purpose and modality of the study.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Observational model

Cohort

Study locations

Italy · 2 centers

• IRCCS Auxologico Piancavallo — Oggebbio
• Centro Interdipartimentale di Medicina del Sonno, Università degli studi di Cagliari — Cagliari

Publications

• Fantini ML, Corona A, Clerici S, Ferini-Strambi L. Aggressive dream content without daytime aggressiveness in REM sleep behavior disorder. Neurology. 2005 Oct 11;65(7):1010-5. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000179346.39655.e0. PMID 16217051
• Oudiette D, De Cock VC, Lavault S, Leu S, Vidailhet M, Arnulf I. Nonviolent elaborate behaviors may also occur in REM sleep behavior disorder. Neurology. 2009 Feb 10;72(6):551-7. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000341936.78678.3a. PMID 19204265
• Schenck CH, Mahowald MW. REM sleep behavior disorder: clinical, developmental, and neuroscience perspectives 16 years after its formal identification in SLEEP. Sleep. 2002 Mar 15;25(2):120-38. doi: 10.1093/sleep/25.2.120. No abstract available. PMID 11902423
• Frauscher B, Iranzo A, Gaig C, Gschliesser V, Guaita M, Raffelseder V, Ehrmann L, Sola N, Salamero M, Tolosa E, Poewe W, Santamaria J, Hogl B; SINBAR (Sleep Innsbruck Barcelona) Group. Normative EMG values during REM sleep for the diagnosis of REM sleep behavior disorder. Sleep. 2012 Jun 1;35(6):835-47. doi: 10.5665/sleep.1886. PMID 22654203
• Anang JB, Gagnon JF, Bertrand JA, Romenets SR, Latreille V, Panisset M, Montplaisir J, Postuma RB. Predictors of dementia in Parkinson disease: a prospective cohort study. Neurology. 2014 Sep 30;83(14):1253-60. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000842. Epub 2014 Aug 29. PMID 25171928
• Anang JB, Nomura T, Romenets SR, Nakashima K, Gagnon JF, Postuma RB. Dementia Predictors in Parkinson Disease: A Validation Study. J Parkinsons Dis. 2017;7(1):159-162. doi: 10.3233/JPD-160925. PMID 27911340
• Sinforiani E, Pacchetti C, Zangaglia R, Pasotti C, Manni R, Nappi G. REM behavior disorder, hallucinations and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: a two-year follow up. Mov Disord. 2008 Jul 30;23(10):1441-5. doi: 10.1002/mds.22126. PMID 18512749
• Postuma RB, Gagnon JF, Vendette M, Charland K, Montplaisir J. Manifestations of Parkinson disease differ in association with REM sleep behavior disorder. Mov Disord. 2008 Sep 15;23(12):1665-72. doi: 10.1002/mds.22099. PMID 18709686

Identifiers

NCT: NCT05262543 · FarPresto01

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗