EMBIO trial study protocol: left gastric artery embolisation for weight loss in patients living with obesity with a BMI 35–50 kg/m(2)

INTRODUCTION: Left gastric artery embolisation (LGAE) is a well-established treatment for major upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding when control is not established via upper GI endoscopy and recently has shown promising results for weight loss in small single arm studies. LGAE could be a treatment option in between our current tier-3 and tier-4 services for obesity. EMBIO is a National Institute for Health Research funded trial, a multicentre double-blinded randomised controlled trial between Imperial College National Health Service Trust and University College London Hospital, comparing LGAE versus Placebo procedure. The key aims of the trial is to evaluate LGAE efficacy on weight loss, its mechanism of action, safety profile and obesity-related comorbidities. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: 76 participants will be recruited from the existing tier-3 database after providing informed consent. Key inclusion criteria include adults aged 18–70 with a body mass index 35–50 kg/m(2) and appropriate anatomy of the left gastric artery and coeliac plexus on CT Angiogram. Key exclusion criteria included previous major abdominal and bariatric surgery, weight >150 kg, type 2 diabetes on any medications other than metformin and the use of weight modifying medications. Participants will undergo mechanistic visits 1 week prior to the intervention and 3, 6 and 12 months postintervention. Informed consent will be received from each participant and they will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to left gastric artery embolisation and placebo treatment. Blinding strategies include the use of moderate doses of sedation, visual and auditory isolation. All participants will enter a tier-3 weight management programme postintervention. The primary analysis will estimate the difference between the groups in the mean per cent weight loss at 12 months. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial shall be conducted in full conformity with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and all subsequent revisions. Local research ethics approval was granted by London-Central Research Ethics Committee, (Reference 19/LO/0509) on 11 October 2019. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued the Letter of No Objection on 8 April 2022 (Reference CI/2022/0008/GB). The trial’s development and progress are monitored by an independent trial steering committee and data monitoring and ethics committee. The researchers plan to disseminate results at conferences, in peer- reviewed journals as well as lay media and to patient organisations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN16158402.