OptiCALS

Evaluating a nutritional management intervention for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

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Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND), is a devastating, life-shortening illness which affects about 5000 people in the UK at any one time. As the disease progresses, patients experience weakness of limb muscles, difficulties with chewing and swallowing, and weakness of the main breathing muscles.

Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Clinical Trials Research Unit and Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR) staff were awarded a six-year programme grant from the National Institute for Health Research to investigate the nutritional management of people living with ALS. The HighCALS research programme is led by Chris McDermott, Professor of Translational Neurology, University of Sheffield, in collaboration with colleagues from ScHARR, University of Leeds, University of Oxford and King’s College, London.

People with ALS (pwALS) often lose weight due to raised energy requirements and symptoms of the disease making it difficult to eat. Little is currently known regarding how food intake affects ALS and there is a lack of guidance for patients and healthcare professionals on weight and nutrition. 

Underpinning HighCALS is a programme of work designed to understand the current national service models, the beliefs of stakeholders and the development of behaviour change strategies to support and improve nutritional interventions.

OptiCALS randomised controlled trial

We are now in the final phase of the programme, trialling the OptiCALS nutritional intervention to investigate whether the OptiCALS intervention can slow ALS progression, improving physical function and quality of life in people with ALS (pwALS). We believe addressing this potentially simple issue could have a dramatic impact on survival, function, and quality of life for the 6000 people living with ALS in the UK.

The OptiCALS trial is seeking to recruit 259 participants from clinical sites across the UK. If you would like further information, please contact Opticals@sheffield.ac.uk or our trial managers, Elaine Scott and Gemma Hackney.

Visit the MNDA website


Central study staff

NameRoleOrganisationContact
Professor Christopher McDermottChief InvestigatorSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust / University of Sheffieldc.j.mcdermott@sheffield.ac.uk
Gemma HackneyProgramme ManagerUniversity of Sheffieldg.hackney@sheffield.ac.uk
Elaine ScottProgramme ManagerUniversity of Sheffieldelaine.scott@sheffield.ac.uk
David WhiteCTRU OversightUniversity of Sheffieldd.a.white@sheffield.ac.uk
Shamila DittaResearch AssistantUniversity of Sheffields.ditta@sheffield.ac.uk
April CarneResearch AssistantUniversity of Sheffielda.r.carne@sheffield.ac.uk
Joe BrettenResearch AssistantUniversity of Sheffieldj.bretten@sheffield.ac.uk
Naomi RobertsTrials Support OfficerUniversity of Sheffieldnaomi.roberts@sheffield.ac.uk
Stephen MaconiStatisticianUniversity of Sheffields.v.maconi@sheffield.ac.uk

Collaborators

NameRoleOrganisation
Ammar Al-ChalabiProfessor of Neurology and Complex Disease GeneticsKing's College London
Wendy BairdProfessor of Health Services ResearchUniversity of Sheffield
Mike BradburnSenior Medical StatisticianUniversity of Sheffield
Janet CadeProfessor of Nutritional EpidemiologyUniversity of Leeds
Cindy CooperProfessor of Health Services Research and Clinical TrialsUniversity of Sheffield
Vanessa HallidaySenior Lecturer in Public HealthUniversity of Sheffield
Paul NormanProfessor of Health PsychologyUniversity of Sheffield
Alicia O'CathainProfessor of Health Services ResearchUniversity of Sheffield
Pamela ShawDirector the Sheffield NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Translational NeuroscienceUniversity of Sheffield
Theocharis StavroulakisPost-doctoral Research AssociateUniversity of Sheffield
Martin TurnerProfessor of Clinical Neurology & NeuroscienceUniversity of Oxford
Sean WhiteHome Enteral Feed DietitianSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Tracey YoungSenior Researcher in Health EconomicsUniversity of Sheffield

Current research sites

Participating hospitalsPrincipal investigator
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, SheffieldProf Chris McDermott
Middlesbrough MND Care Centre, James Cook University HospitalAnthony Hanratty
John Radcliffe Hospital, OxfordProf Martin Turner
Derriford Hospital, PlymouthProf Oliver Hanemann
Ninewells Hospital, DundeeDr Ian Morrison
Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Walton Hospital, LiverpoolProf Carolyn Young
King's College Hospital, LondonProf Ammar Al-Chalabi
Dorothy House Hospice, BathDr Edward Presswood
LOROS Hospice, LeicesterProf Christina Faull
Greater Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences, SalfordChristina Federico
North Midlands MND Care & Research Network, Royal Stoke University HospitalDr Thomas Lambert
Morriston Hospital, SwanseaDr Idris Baker
National Hospital London NMD centre (UCLH) London 
Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS TrustAdreia Ture / Dr Andrea Forero Ozer
Preston MND Care and Research Centre, Royal Preston HospitalProf Suresh Chhteri
Royal United Hospitals, BathDr Gurjit Chohan
Beaumont Hospital, DublinOrla Hardiman
Hywel Dda University Health Board Joe Annandale
Royal Bournemouth HospitalAnnemieke Fox

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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