Participants, interventions and outcomes
Study setting {9}
The participants of this study will be selected from male students residing in dormitory of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, to have a similar life style.
Eligibility criteria {10}
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age of 18 to 35 years
- Adults with normal weight (body mass index [BMI] of 18.5-23.5 kg/m2)
- Apparently healthy men
- Providing written informed consent
- Willingness to undertake the required fasting periods
- Being TPM-based hot/cold temper
Criteria for not entering the study:
- Being a professional athlete
smoking
- Consumption of weight loss or weight gain supplements
- Have significant weight loss over the past 6 months (losing more than 10% of body weight over the past 6 months)
- Use of certain medications or supplements affecting metabolism (e.g., thyroid drugs, caffeine)
- Positive history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, CVDs, neurological, and/or neuropsychological disorders
- Consumption of toxic substances;
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unwillingness to participation continuing
- Inability to partake in the intervention due to dietary preferences /intolerance
- Non-compliance with the terms of calorimetry, and pulse velocimetry
Who will take informed consent? {26a}
Initially, the objectives of the trial will be clarified by the main administrator to eligible subjects, and written informed consent will be obtained from them at the time of enrolment.
Additional consent provisions for collection and use of participant data and biological specimens {26b}
We do not need any additional consent provision.
Interventions
Explanation for the choice of comparators {6b}
The subjects with eligible criteria will be enrolled to the study.
Intervention description {11a}
The present study will be an acute phase study investigating different effects of two hot/cold TPM based test meals. The Patients with eligible criteria will be enrolled to the study and the hot-cold or cold-hot temper test meals will be administered to each participant according to the sequential randomization plan. Each test day will be implemented during 7 A.M-1 P.M. This period was selected to represent a common interval between breakfast and lunch. The anthropometric measurements will be done at the outset of the fasting state. We will measure the body weight to the nearest 0.1 kilogram, with the subjects in light clothing. The waist circumference will be measured at the midline between the iliac crest and lowest ribs to the nearest 0.5 centimeters. The height of the participants will be measured using a stadiometer in the standing position to the nearest 0.1 centimeter. Finally, we will determine the body composition of the subjects using bioelectrical impedance analysis (AVIS 333). At the intervention day, all participants will have a minimum rest of 15 minutes before the fasting tests and will rest until the end of the tests. All the tests will be performed in the exact same conditions (e.g., quiet area and temperature-regulated room). Firstly, fasting tests including blood sampling, indirect calorimetry (IC), PWV, and PWA will be performed at the fasting state. Secondly, subjects will have 15 minutes to take the complete test meals (under the supervision of researchers). Following the test meals, we will ask all subjects to fast again (refraining from food and drinks (except water)) for another 4 hours. At the next stage, all participants will complete a series of tests (blood sampling, indirect calorimetry (IC), PWV, and PWA) in three times following test meal consumption.
Test meals will be cold-temper meal (including cheese, cucumber, and bread) and hot-temper meal (including steamed camel meat, onion, and bread) and will provide 25% of daily TEE of participants measured by IC in fasting state for each participant. Macronutrient components of both test meals will be similar and include 55% carbohydrates, 18% protein and 27% fat.
Serum samples will be collected to evaluate the markers of metabolic activity. A maximum of three milliliters of blood will be collected from each patient at each of the given times.
For Indirect Calorimetry, we will ask the participants to stay awake and motionless in a supine position, and air samples were collected using a mask (MetaLyzer 3B-R3 device).
The resting energy expenditure and substrate utilization will be measured via indirect calorimetry.
Pulse wave analysis will be done via an ultrasound examination of the carotid artery in supine position.
The evaluation of the brachial blood pressure and pulse wave analysis will perform in supine pine position by the Sphygmocor XCEL device. The augmentation index (AIx), central blood pressure (cBP), and heart rate (HR) will be assessed regarding the guidelines of the manufacturers.
Carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWVb) will be determined based upon the applanation tonometry (the sequentially measured electrocardiogram-gated left carotid and radial waveforms; foot-to-foot method for determining the pulse travel time).
Criteria for discontinuing or modifying allocated interventions {11b}
Any modification of the protocol that may affect the conduction of the study will be approved by MUMS Ethics Committee prior to implementation. Additionally, it will be announced to the IRCT registration dataset by the researchers.
Strategies to improve adherence to interventions {11c}
The intervention will be carried out in two different days and as the researchers will accompany all participants in these two days, adherence to the study protocol will be closely monitored. Moreover, we plan to involve the participants in delivering the study dissemination plans.
Relevant concomitant care permitted or prohibited during the trial {11d}
Before the intervention, eligibility assessment will be performed. Age, weight, past medical history (in order to be apparently healthy), and willingness to undertake the required fasting periods will be assessed by the research coordinator whom is residing in the dormitory. In the 2nd step, a valid and reliable self-administered temperament screening questionnaire will be fulfilled by the volunteers [22]; in case of being cold/hot temper by the Mojahedi's temperament assessment questionnaire, the subjects will be visited by three MD, PhDs of Persian medicine. In case of confirmation of the participants, temperament, they will be eligible to enter the study.
Three days before both test meals all subjects would be asked to have a standardized daily menu plan to be ensured about filled glycogen stores. In addition, participant will be not allowed to engage in severe physical activity within two days prior to the test days. All subjects will arrive at the research site in Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, Iran by taxi in order to have minimum activity after 12 hours fasting from food, drinks (except water), and caffeine.
Provisions for post-trial care {30}
With respect to consuming just two test meals in two different days, no post-trial care is needed.
Outcomes {12}
- Metabolic parameters (energy expenditure components including REE, TEF, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), respiratory quotient (RQ), and substrate utilization)
- Non-invasive arterial stiffness markers (AIx, cBP, HR , PWVb )
- Lipemia (including serum triglycerides, free fatty acids, HDL, LDL), glycemia (blood glucose) and insulinemia
Participant timeline {13}
Figure 1 shows the study schedule of enrolment, intervention and assessment based in the Standard Protocol Items Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines.
Figure1. Schedule of enrolment, intervention, and assessments.
Sample size {14}
Since we could not find any prior information to base a sample size on, we designed our study as a pilot study. Therefore, we could not assess the attrition rate and there was no necessity to define the sample size.
Recruitment {15}
The participants will be recruited by local advertising with posters at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The study will be carried out at the Imam Reza hospital, Mashhad, Iran.
Assignment of interventions: allocation
Sequence generation {16a}
We generated an online sequential randomization plan, which will be used to develop the allocation sequence and assign the participants to the hot-cold (consumption of hot temper food firstly, and cold temper food secondly) or cold-hot (consumption of cold temper food firstly, and hot temper food secondly) test meals consumption groups by the researchers.
Concealment mechanism {16b}
In this study, there will be just one pre-intervention concealment at the assignment stage of participants to groups.
Implementation {16c}
Generate the allocation sequence, enrol participants, and assign participants to interventions will be done by the main administrative.
Assignment of interventions: Blinding
Who will be blinded {17a}
No blinding will be applied for the researchers and participants.
Procedure for unblinding if needed {17b}
Not applicable as the researchers and participants will be unblinded about the participants, and the meals tempers during the study.
Data collection and management
Plans for assessment and collection of outcomes {18a}
At the intervention day, all participants will have a minimum rest of 15 minutes before the fasting tests and will rest until the end of the tests. All the tests will be performed in the exact same conditions (e.g., quiet area and temperature-regulated room). Firstly, fasting tests including blood sampling, indirect calorimetry (IC), PWV, and PWA will be performed at the fasting state. Secondly, subjects will have 15 minutes to take the complete test meals (under the supervision of researchers). Following the test meals, we will ask all subjects to fast again (refraining from food and drinks (except water)) for another 4 hours. At the next stage, all participants will complete a series of tests (blood sampling, indirect calorimetry (IC), PWV, and PWA) in three times including 0.5-, 2- and 4-hours following test meal consumption.
Plans to promote participant retention and complete follow-up {18b}
No follow-up is needed.
Data management {19}Data will be recorded in the Excel file and in the paper forms at the same time by the researchers.
Confidentiality {27}
The identifiable information of the patients will be stored at the security site, and all the data collection and reports will be identified by a coded ID number.
Plans for collection, laboratory evaluation and storage of biological specimens for genetic or molecular analysis in this trial/future use {33}
We will try to collect a minimum two millilitres of blood sample in every round of sampling for hormonal study in future use.
Statistical methods
Statistical methods for primary and secondary outcomes {20a}
Descriptive statistics will be used to determine and compare the main characteristics of the subjects between the study groups. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test will be used to evaluate the normal distribution of the variables. To analyze and inter-group comparison of normally distributed variables, Independent-samples t-test and Chi-square will be used. The Kruskal-Wallis test will be applied for non-parametric data. The P-value of less than 0.05 will be considered as significance level.
Interim analyses {21b}
Interim analysis is not considered. In case of any side effect, we will stop the intervention and present the results to the Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) for further decision.
Methods for additional analyses (e.g. subgroup analyses) {20b}
Any covariates will be controlled by binary logistic regression or ANCOVA test.
Methods in analysis to handle protocol non-adherence and any statistical methods to handle missing data {20c}
As the researchers will accompany all participants in the research site, adherence to the study protocol will be closely monitored.
Plans to give access to the full protocol, participant level-data and statistical code {31c}
The study results will be submitted for publication as articles to international, peer-reviewed journals. The full protocol and de-identified dataset will be accessible for research objectives.
Oversight and monitoring
Composition of the coordinating center and trial steering committee {5d}
The ethical committee and research deputy of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, supervises all the study stages. It is an academic committee and has no competing interest.
Composition of the data monitoring committee, its role and reporting structure {21a}
We do not have a DMC
Adverse event reporting and harms {22}
In case of any side effect, we will stop the intervention and present the results to the Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) for further decision.
Frequency and plans for auditing trial conduct {23}
Auditing trial conduct is not considered
Plans for communicating important protocol amendments to relevant parties (e.g. trial participants, ethical committees) {25}
Any modification to protocol which may impact on the conduct of the study, will be approved by ethical committee of MUMS prior to implementation.
Dissemination plans {31a}
The primary RCT results will be submitted for publication to an international, peer-reviewed journal. Authorship eligibility will be based on the recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).