Mifepristone Effects on Glucose Intolerance in Obese/Overweight Adults

Completed · Phase 1/Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Endocrine Disease, Diabetes

In brief

Background: * Metabolic syndrome is a name given to a group of factors that tend to occur together. These risk factors include central obesity (extra weight around the middle of the body) and high blood pressure and blood sugar levels. They also include low levels of HDL ("good cholesterol") and high triglyceride levels. A person is said to have metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of the above risk factors. People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. * Cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, is an important regulator of metabolism. People with central obesity and metabolic syndrome may have higher than normal cortisol levels that the body cannot regulate properly. Abnormal cortisol levels may play an important role in metabolic syndrome. Mifepristone is a drug that blocks cortisol. Researchers are interested in studying its effects on metabolic syndrome. Objectives: \- To study the effects of short-term mifepristone treatment for metabolic syndrome. Eligibility: \- Men and Women between 35 and 70 years of age are overweight or obese, and have abnormal glucose and triglyceride levels. Design: * Participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. They will also have blood and urine tests. * Participants will be admitted to the metabolic unit at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center for the first 3 days of the study: * Day 1: Body measurements (height, weight, waist, hip, and neck) and blood pressure tests. Also, 24 hours of regular blood draws and 24-hour urine collection to monitor regular daily cortisol levels. * Day 2: Glucose/insulin infusion test to measure blood sugar levels. * Day 3: Infusion of cortisol-like compounds and then regular blood draws for about 3 hours to evaluate how cortisol is metabolized. * At the end of Day 3, participants will receive mifepristone or a look-alike capsule to take for 7 days at home. * After 7 days, participants will return to the metabolic unit to repeat the Day 1 and Day 2 study procedures. They will continue to take mifepristone. * One week after the second set of study tests, participants will return for a brief physical exam and blood tests. * The study procedures will be repeated after 6 to 8 weeks, with the other study drug.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT01419535
Run by: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
People needed: 19
Starts: 2011-11-29
Expected to finish: 2015-11-24
Last updated by the study team: 2021-04-14

Who can join

Age: 35 and older, up to 70. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

Pregnancy and lactation
Diabetes requiring pharmacologic treatment. Diagnosis of diabetes will be based on the 2011 American Diabetes Association guidelines: HbA1C greater than or equal to 6.5%, fasting plasma glucose greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl, 2-hour glucose greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl during an OGTT, or a random blood glucose greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl along with classic symptoms of hyperglycemia (34)
Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure greater than or equal to 180/110 mmHg)
Current unstable medical conditions including clinically significant impaired cardiac function (Stage III and IV Cardiac failure), cardiac ischemia, severe respiratory insufficiency requiring oxygen therapy as assessed on history and/or physical exam
Liver function tests (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) more than 3-times the upper normal limit
Severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min)
Evidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) based on history and physical examination and/or known positive HIV antibodies
Evidence of hepatitis C based on history and physical examination and/or known positive hepatitis C (HCV) antibody
History of hemorrhagic disorders or on anticoagulants
History of endometrial cancer, endometrial hyperplasia, unexplained vaginal bleeding, or endometrial thickness greater than 6 mm
Change in dose of lipid-lowering medications (including 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG Co-A) inhibitors , fibrates, niacin, ezetimibe, and over-the-counter fish oil supplements) within one month of study entry and during the study period
Current administration of medications known to be strong CYP3A4 inhibitors including ketoconazole, itraconazole, and erythromycin
Use of herbal supplements or grapefruit juice within 14 days of study drug initiation
Use of medications or dietary supplements that inhibit or induce CYP3A4 activity within 14 days of study drug initiation
Use of oral, injectable, or inhaled glucocorticoids or megestrol in the past six months
Use of estrogen-containing hormone therapy
Potential pseudocushing's states: depression or intake of > 2 alcoholic drinks a day. Subjects will be screened for depression using the well-validated physician health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) with a score cut-off of greater than or equal to 10 for moderate depression (35).
Subjects who are actively dieting or are in a weight loss program
Midnight salivary cortisol > 100 ng/dl on two separate occasions
Untreated thyroid dysfunction (thyroid stimulating hormone and Free thyroxine (FT4) not within normal range). If abnormal on screening labs, they will be repeated to confirm that not due to lab error or non-thyroidal illness.
Moderate to severe anemia (hemoglobin < 10 g/dl)
Blood donation of more than 500 ml within one month prior to study enrollment
Subjects with a prolonged corrected Q-T interval (QTc) on electrocardiogram
Unable to give informed consent

Where it is running

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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