Ziprasidone for Improving Insulin Sensitivity in People With Schizophrenia Who Are at Risk for Diabetes

October 5, 2020 updated by: Jonathan M. Meyer, MD, Veterans Medical Research Foundation

The Metabolic Syndrome in Patients With Schizophrenia

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of ziprasidone treatment versus treatment with a standard atypical antipsychotic drug in improving insulin sensitivity and reducing excess abdominal fat storage in people with schizophrenia who are at risk for diabetes.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

People with schizophrenia often lead more sedentary lifestyles than people without the disease, and they are frequently treated with antipsychotic medications that cause weight gain. Combined, these factors produce an increased risk for metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Characteristics of metabolic syndrome include carrying excess weight around the abdominal region; high blood pressure; high blood sugar levels; high levels of fat in the blood; and low levels of HDL cholesterol. Recent studies have shown that certain atypical antipsychotic drugs are relatively weight-neutral. Switching from a drug that promotes weight gain to a weight-neutral medication, such as ziprasidone, may result in significant weight loss. There is insufficient evidence, however, demonstrating the extent of improvement in insulin sensitivity after switching medications. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of ziprasidone treatment versus treatment with a standard atypical antipsychotic drug in improving insulin sensitivity and reducing excess abdominal fat storage in people with schizophrenia who are at risk for diabetes.

Participants in this open label study will currently be undergoing treatment with risperidone or olanzapine at the time of study entry. Upon study entry, they will be randomly assigned to either switch to ziprasidone treatment or remain on their current medications. Both groups will be treated for 26 weeks. Participants will report to the study site for evaluations biweekly until week 10 and then monthly for the duration of the study. The primary outcomes at Week 26 will be: change from baseline in insulin sensitivity, using an intravenous glucose tolerance test; change from baseline in ivisceral fat mass, using a CT scan.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

77

Phase

  • 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

    • California
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92161
        • VA San Diego Healthcare System

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  • Currently receiving antipsychotic therapy with risperidone or olanzapine
  • Overweight

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of diabetes
  • Hospitalization for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder within 90 days prior to study entry
  • Refractory schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  • Currently receiving therapy with clozapine
  • No stable residence and phone number for 90 days prior to study entry
  • Prior unsuccessful treatment with ziprasidone
  • Intolerance to ziprasidone

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control
Participants on risperidone or olanzapine who will remain on risperidone or olanzapine and do not switch to ziprasidone
Participants will remain taking the same medications of risperidone or olanzapine as they were before study entry.
Other Names:
  • risperidone
  • olanzapine
Experimental: Switch
Participants who enter on risperidone or olanzapine and switch to ziprasidone
Participants who are switched to ziprasidone will take a max daily dose of 200 mg, flexibly dosed based on symptoms and adverse effects.
Other Names:
  • ziprasidone

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Insulin Sensitivity Index From Baseline to Week 26 ((1/mU/L) x 1/Min)
Time Frame: Measured at Baseline and Week 26
As measured by frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance testing (units: 1/mU/L) x 1/Min)
Measured at Baseline and Week 26
Change in Visceral Fat Mass From Baseline to Week 26
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 26
CT measured change in visceral fat mass from baseline to week 26 (mm^3)
Baseline and Week 26

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jonathan M. Meyer, MD, University of California, San Diego & VA San Diego Healthcare System

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.

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

June 1, 2006

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2009

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 16, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 16, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

June 20, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 30, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 5, 2020

Last Verified

October 1, 2020

More Information

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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