USDOE Human Subjects Research Database, fiscal year 1995

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Project Identifier: BNL-94-144D

Project Title:

Evaluation of 18-FDG in the Diagnosis of Glucose Metabolism in the Human Body (Alcoholics)

Principle Investigator: Dr. Joanna S. Fowler

Project started in: 1994

Fiscal Year 1995 Funding for Research on Human Subjects:

Project Funding Information:
Project received funding in Fiscal Year 1995.
Project used human subjects in Fiscal Year 1995.

Funding Sources:

DOE: Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER)

Amount: $200,500 (Est.)

Non-DOE Federal: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Amount: $187,000 (Est.)
Comments:

DA 09481

Total Funding: $387,500

Information on Use of Human Subjects:

Project does not involve use of multiple protocols/subprojects.

IRB Review:
Type of Review: Full Board
Most Recent Approval: January 04, 1995

Number of Human Subjects in the Last Reporting Period for this Project: 31
(Reporting periods vary.)

Type of Human Subjects Involvement:

Ionizing Radiation and Radioactive Substances:

External use of ionizing radiation on human subjects.

• For clinical research.

Internal administration of radioactive substances to human subjects.

• For clinical research.

Chemical Substances:

Internal use of chemical substances (solid, liquid, or gas) in human subjects.

• For clinical research.

Collection of Bodily Materials:

Collection of personally identifiable bodily materials (blood or blood products, cells, tissue, organs, waste).

• Use of bodily materials collected from subjects specifically for this project.

(a. Objectives, b. Methodology, c. Ionizing Radiation, Radioactive Substances, or Chemical Substances to which human subjects are exposed, d. Involvement of Human Subjects [d.1. procedures used, d.2. risks if any])

Alcoholics will be tested during early as well as late detoxification. This strategy will enable us to assess whether there is recovery after detoxification. The patients will be scanned for a baseline metabolic rate and again after drug challenge with lorazepam to test the involvement of specific brain receptors. Approximately 20 alcoholics and 20 controls will be studied. The subjects have a short-lived positron emitter tracer (F-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose or F-18-FDG) and lorazepam administered and are subsequently scanned with positron emission tomography (PET). A potential side effect of radiation is the induction of cancer. However, no harm in a human individual or in a large population exposed at doses as low as those delivered in this procedure has been reported. The estimation of risk of harm can be obtained only by extrapolation from much higher doses. Whenever blood is removed or a substance is injected by venipuncture, there is minor discomfort and a slight possibility of local bleeding in the tissues. Lorazepam may produce sleepiness and drowsiness in sensitive individuals. Therefore, subjects will not be allowed to drive home after they are administered lorazepam.