Role of Sympathetic Vasoconstriction on Insulin-Mediated Microvascular Recruitment and Glucose Uptake in Obesity

February 26, 2026 updated by: Italo Biaggioni, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

The purpose of this study is to better understand the contribution of sympathetic vasoconstriction to impaired insulin-mediated vasodilation and subsequently insulin-mediated glucose uptake. The investigators will test the hypothesis that removal of sympathetic vasoconstriction can result in improvement in insulin-mediated vasodilation and subsequently sensitivity to insulin-mediated glucose uptake.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

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

Several studies have shown that obese subjects have impaired Nitric Oxide (NO)-mediated dilation; and those who develop insulin resistance tend to be more obese, have higher insulin levels and greater sympathetic activity. Furthermore, we have made the novel observation that autonomic blockade improves glucose utilization in obese subjects with insulin resistance, providing a causal relation between sympathetic activation and insulin resistance. The autonomic blockade also improved NO-mediated dilation in obese subjects, which may improve glucose uptake by promoting glucose delivery.

The investigators will enroll obese insulin-resistant subjects and in parallel experiments two comparator groups: obese insulin sensitive subjects, and healthy lean control subjects. We will assess the effects of insulin (hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp) on microvascular recruitment, and forearm glucose uptake on two separate occasions randomly assigned and at least one month apart, during an intrabrachial infusion of the alpha-adrenergic blocker phentolamine (blocked day) or saline control (Control day).

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 (Estimated)

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.
36

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 1

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Tennessee
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232
        • Autonomic Dysfunction Center

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 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Males and females of all races between 18 and 60 years of age.
  • Obesity defined as body mass index between 30-40 kg/m2
  • Insulin resistance defined as homeostasis model assessment 2 insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) score >1.6 (never diagnosed or treated type 2 diabetic), or being a well-controlled type 2 diabetic on metformin only.
  • Able and willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Current smokers or history of heavy smoking (>2 packs/day)
  • History of alcohol or drug abuse
  • Morbid obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m2)
  • Previous allergic reaction to study medications
  • Evidence of type I diabetes.
  • Cardiovascular disease other than hypertension such as myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to enrollment, presence of angina pectoris, significant arrhythmia, congestive heart failure (LV hypertrophy acceptable), deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, second or third-degree heart block, mitral valve stenosis, aortic stenosis, or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • History of serious cerebrovascular disease such as cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, or transient ischemic attack
  • History or presence of immunological or hematological disorders
  • Impaired hepatic function [aspartate amino transaminase (AST) and/or alanine amino transaminase (ALT) > 2.0 x upper limit of normal range]
  • Impaired renal function (serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dl)
  • Moderate to severe anemia (hemoglobin <11 g/dl)
  • Treatment with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or norepinephrine transporter (NET) inhibitors
  • Treatment with phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors
  • Treatment with anticoagulants
  • Treatment with chronic systemic glucocorticoid therapy (more than 7 consecutive days in 1 month)
  • Treatment with any investigational drug in the 1 month preceding the study
  • Inability to give, or withdraw, informed consent
  • Other factors which in the investigator's opinion would prevent the subject from completing the protocol (i.e., clinically significant abnormalities on clinical, mental examination or laboratory testing or inability to comply with protocol)

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: Single

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.
Placebo Comparator: Intact Day
Saline
Other: Saline
Intrabrachial saline will be given this day
Experimental: Blocked Day
Phentolamine
Drug: Phentolamine
Intrabrachial phentolamine will be given on the blocked day
Other Names:
  • alpha-adrenergic blocker
Active Comparator: Vasodilator Comparison
Sodium Nitroprusside
Drug: Sodium Nitroprusside
Intrabrachial sodium nitroprusside will be given this day to compare with phentolamine
Other Names:
  • Active comparison

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
Contrast Enhanced-Ultrasonography (CEU)
Time Frame: Before clamp and 15 minutes after clamp
The Primary Outcome will be the change in CEU induced by insulin during hyperinsulinemic clamp compared to baseline. To test the null hypothesis that insulin will not produce any changes in microvascular blood volume using CEU in response to α-adrenergic blockade (phentolamine) in the isolated forearm model.
Before clamp and 15 minutes after clamp

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.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

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.
October 24, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
November 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
November 30, 2027

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).
October 17, 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.
October 20, 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.
October 23, 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.
March 2, 2026

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.
February 26, 2026

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.
February 1, 2026

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.
  • 162097

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

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.

Clinical Trials on Healthy

Clinical Trials on Saline

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings