Background: The aim of the project is to collect information on the mental and physical condition of patients with overweight or obesity as accurately as possible and to better understand the effects of hormones on fat distribution and possible concomitant diseases. This information can then be used to gain important insights into the diagnosis and which patients will benefit most from which treatment method.
Implementation location: The project is carried out exclusively at the University Hospital Zurich.
Project structure: The project is a so-called cohort study. This means that patients are closely examined during their treatment, their progress is monitored and certain samples are collected (see below). However, the type of treatment does not change.
Duration of the project: The project is ongoing and not limited in time.
Aim of the study
Our project pursues several goals. The effects of overweight and obesity on physical and mental health are examined and treatment options are compared in terms of their effectiveness and tolerability. With the aim of being able to offer "personalized", tailor-made therapies in the future, the data collected will be used to investigate which form of therapy is most effective for which patient group (characterized, for example, by age, gender, hormone status).
It is known that, regardless of the body mass index (BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2), there are unfavorable fat distribution patterns (truncal obesity) and concomitant diseases due to hormonal disorders (Cushing's syndrome or PCOS), which can be associated with additional health risks. A further aim of the study is therefore to better understand the effect of hormones on fatty tissue, its distribution and influence on accompanying diseases.
Who can take part?
All persons who are being treated at the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition of the University Hospital Zurich for overweight or obesity (body mass index at the start of treatment ≥ 28kg/m2) or hypercortisolism or PCOS, are over 18 years of age and give their consent for this study can participate. You must also have sufficient written and oral knowledge of the German language.
Procedure
Practical procedure: During your regular consultations as part of your treatment, your health data (e.g. blood glucose, lipids, body weight, etc.), which are routinely collected for your treatment, will be collected and analyzed for the cohort study. For study-specific analyses, additional blood will be taken from you during routine blood sampling and other biosamples (e.g. urine, liver tissue) will be collected if they are obtained during examinations. You will also have to fill out questionnaires at home (e.g. on your quality of life, diet and any side effects of treatment) and provide us with stool samples to examine your gut microbiome. If you give your consent, you will undergo MRI examinations and fat tissue samples will be taken (at the start of treatment and after one year). If bariatric or other surgery is performed, additional fat tissue is collected.
Duration for the participant: The study participation of individual participants lasts as long as the treatment in the Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, but can be terminated prematurely by the participant at any time.
Location, number and duration of visits: You will not have any additional consultations due to your studies. Only for the MRI examinations, for which you can optionally give your additional consent, two appointments at the USZ radiology department are necessary.
Compensation
If you participate in this project, you will not receive any compensation. We will reimburse you for expenses such as travel expenses that are only incurred as a result of your participation.
Original study name
Zurich Obesity and Metabolism Cohort
BASEC number
2018-01333
Sponsors