Effects of Flutamide on Insulin and Glucose Metabolism in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Determination if Pharmacologic Blockade of Androgen Action Decreases Renal Clearance of D-Chiro-Inositol (DCI), Increases the Circulating Concentration of DCI, and Enhances Insulin-Stimulated Release of the D-chiro-inositol-containing Inositolphosphoglycan (DCI-IPG) Mediator in Obese Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is the major cause of infertility in the United States. Many women with PCOS demonstrate insulin resistance and a compensatory hyperinsulinemia.This is due to both an intrinsic form of insulin resistance unique to PCOS and, in many cases, acquired insulin resistance due to obesity. The importance of this observation lies in the fact that hyperinsulinemia appears to play an important pathogenetic role in the hyperandrogenism and anovulation of both obese and lean women with PCOS.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Flutamide

Detailed Description

Hyperinsulinemia stimulates ovarian production of androgens, especially testosterone, in PCOS. Therefore, it is theoretically possible that testosterone increases urinary clearance of D-chiro-inositol (uCl(DCI) in PCOS, and that this serves as the explanation for the correlation between uClDCI and insulin sensitivity. While we regard this possibility as unlikely, it is important that it be tested. To accomplish this, we will assess obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) >30 kg/m2) women with and without PCOS at baseline, and again after 4 weeks of androgen action blockade with the drug flutamide. Flutamide is an antiandrogen that works by blocking the binding of androgens to the androgen receptor.

We will determine if this pharmacologic blockade i) decreases the renal clearance of DCI, ii) increases the circulating concentration of DCi, and iii) enhances the insulin-stimulated release of the D-chiro-inositol-containing inositolphosphoglycan (DCI-IPG) mediator during an OGTT.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 8
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Virginia
    • Richmond, Virginia, United States, 23298
      • Virginia Commonwealth University General Clinical Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

(1) Obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2) women with PCOS between 18-40 years of age: i) oligomenorrhea (8 menstrual periods annually), ii) biochemical hyperandrogenemia (elevated total or free testosterone), iii) normal thyroid function tests and serum prolactin, and iv) exclusion of 21α-hydroxylase deficiency by a fasting 17α-hydroxyprogesterone <200 ng/dl.48, (2) acceptable health on the basis of interview, medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests (complete blood chemistry (CBC), complete metabolic panel (CMP), urinalysis, serum Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (BhCG)). (3) Signed, witnessed informed consent. (4) Ability to comply with study requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

(1) Diabetes mellitus by fasting glucose or oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), or clinically significant pulmonary, cardiac, renal, hepatic, neurologic, psychiatric, infectious, neoplastic and malignant disease (other than non-melanoma skin cancer). (2) Current use of oral contraceptives. (3) Documented or suspected recent (within one year) history of drug abuse or alcoholism. (4) Ingestion of any investigational drug within two months prior to study onset.

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 1; Flutamide	Drug: Flutamide; 250 mg twice daily for 4 weeks
Placebo Comparator: 2; control to arm 1	Drug: Placebo; Placebo twice daily for 4 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
DCI-IPG Measurements in Blood and Urine	zero participants analyzed, no assays performed	2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University
• Collaborators: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: John E. Nestler, M.D., Virginia Commonwealth University

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 5, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 5, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): August 7, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): September 8, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 5, 2014
• Last Verified: September 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: PCOS
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Neoplasms; Endocrine System Diseases; Disease; Ovarian Cysts; Cysts; Ovarian Diseases; Adnexal Diseases; Gonadal Disorders; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Syndrome; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Antineoplastic Agents; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Hormone Antagonists; Androgen Antagonists; Flutamide
• Other Study ID Numbers: 04487VCUIRB; GCRC0826