Short Term Effect of Glucocorticoids on Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans (GlucoBAT)

June 4, 2019 updated by: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Interventional, Placebo controlled cross-over study to investigate the short-term effects of glucocorticoids (prednisone) on human brown adipose tissue.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Active brown adipose tissue (BAT) has recently been unambiguously discovered in human adults. Active BAT increases energy expenditure and improves glucose tolerance. Pharmacological use of glucocorticoids (GCs) is widespread in clinical practice due to their high anti-inflammatory efficacy. While short-term administration even of high doses usually is well tolerated, long-term use of medium to high amounts of GCs leads to unfavorable metabolic changes, characterized by an increase in intra-abdominal fat mass, a decrease in muscle mass and insulin resistance.

In line with these well-known side-effects of GCs, several in vitro studies and animal models demonstrate an inhibiting effect of GCs on BAT thermogenesis.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
16

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
    • BS
      • Basel, BS, Switzerland, 4031
        • University Hospital Basel, Department of Endocrinology

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 40 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy male volunteers
  • BMI between 19-27 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Cold induced thermogenesis of less than 5% basal metabolic rate (determined during screening visit)
  • Contraindications to the class of drugs under study, e.g. known hypersensitivity or allergy to class of drugs or the investigational product,
  • History of depressive disorder, anxiety disorder
  • History of tuberculosis or latent infection
  • Increased intraocular pressure
  • History of peptic / gastrointestinal ulcer disease
  • Concomitant medication: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), other glucocorticoids, diuretics, antihypertensives, fibrates or statins, metformin
  • Other clinically significant concomitant disease states (e.g., renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus),
  • Hypersensitivity to cold (e.g. Raynaud Syndrome)
  • Allergy to local anesthetic
  • Known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol abuse,
  • Inability to follow the procedures of the study
  • Participation in another study with investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study,
  • Previous enrolment into the current study,
  • Enrolment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons,
  • Hypothyroidism without sufficient substitution
  • Claustrophobia
  • MRI incompatible implants
  • Enrolment into another study using ionizing radiation within the previous 12 months.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Prednisone
Prednisone 40 mg daily for 7 days
Drug: Prednisone
2 tablets of Prednisone 20 Mg in the morning
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Placebo daily for 7 days
Drug: Placebo
2 Placebo tablets in the morning

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cold induced thermogenesis
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
: Increase in energy expenditure above resting metabolic rate in response to a mild cold stimulus determined by indirect calorimetry
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
fat fraction of supraclavicular BAT
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
determined by MRI
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
volume of supraclavicular BAT
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
determined by MRI
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
cold stimulated FGD uptake in brown adipose tissue
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
determined as SUVmean by FDG-PET/CT
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
SUVmax in the supraclavicular adipose tissue depot
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
determined by FDG-PET/CT
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Glucose level before and after mild cold stimulus
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
FGF21 level before and after mild cold stimulus
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
Expression levels of genes involved in thermogenesis and white to brown adipose tissue transdifferentiation in supraclavicular adipose tissue.
Time Frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 6, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 16, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 16, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 30, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 30, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 1, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 5, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 4, 2019

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • EKNZ 2016-01859

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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