Combination of Insulin Sensitizer and Leptin as Treatment for the HAART -Induced Metabolic Syndrome

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients with HIV lipodystrophy (fat wasting) benefit from taking the combination of two drugs, one insulin sensitizer (either metformin or pioglitazone, both diabetes drugs) and leptin (a natural hormone produced by your fat cells). Our hope is that they will improve sugar and fat metabolism and positively affect the body fat changes you have noticed while taking HAART.
ConditionHIV Lipodystrophy
InterventionDrug: Leptin
Drug: Pioglitazone or metformin
PhasePhase 2
SponsorBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Responsible PartyBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT00362440
First ReceivedAugust 9, 2006
Last UpdatedFebruary 18, 2013
Last verifiedFebruary 2013

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateAugust 9, 2006
Last Updated DateFebruary 18, 2013
Start DateAugust 2006
Estimated Primary Completion DateJune 2011
Current Primary Outcome MeasuresInsulin Resistance (HOMA index) [Time Frame: 2005-2011] [Designated as safety issue: No]
Current Secondary Outcome Measures
  • Cholesterol Levels [Time Frame: 2005-2011] [Designated as safety issue: No]
  • Body Composition (fat mass, lean body mass) [Time Frame: 2005-2011] [Designated as safety issue: No]

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleCombination of Insulin Sensitizer and Leptin as Treatment for the HAART -Induced Metabolic Syndrome
Official TitleA Combination of Insulin Sensitizer and Leptin as Treatment for the HAART -Induced Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients with HIV lipodystrophy (fat
wasting) benefit from taking the combination of two drugs, one insulin sensitizer (either
metformin or pioglitazone, both diabetes drugs) and leptin (a natural hormone produced by
your fat cells). Our hope is that they will improve sugar and fat metabolism and positively
affect the body fat changes you have noticed while taking HAART.
Detailed Description
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) induces profound and sustained suppression of
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication, and is thus very effective in reducing
disease-associated morbidity and mortality in this patient population. However, HAART also
results in the development of a lipodystrophic syndrome which is characterized by fat
accumulation, fat wasting, or a combination of both, and similar to congenital forms of
lipodystrophy, is associated with components of the metabolic syndrome, including insulin
resistance (IR), fasting hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesterolemia.

Our study is a "proof of concept" study on the treatment of the HAART-induced metabolic
syndrome, which builds upon and represents a direct extension of a study previously funded
by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). If our clinical trial proves that a combination
treatment of leptin and an insulin sensitizer has additive or synergistic effects in
reversing the metabolic abnormalities of HIV positive patients with lipoatrophy, it could
lead to the design of larger multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial(s) aiming at
establishing safety and efficacy of this treatment for the HAART-induced metabolic syndrome.
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhasePhase 2
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment
ConditionHIV Lipodystrophy
InterventionDrug: Leptin
Drug: Pioglitazone or metformin
Study Arm (s)
  • Experimental: Leptin
    Leptin replacement therapy
  • Other: Pioglitazone or metformin
    Diabetes treatment therapy

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusCompleted
Estimated Enrollment15
Estimated Completion DateJune 2011
Estimated Primary Completion DateMay 2011
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- Age18 years and above and ability and willingness to give written informed consent

- Documented HIV-1 infection

- At least 6 months of stable cumulative antiretroviral therapy with any available or
investigational anti- retroviral medication (protease inhibitor, nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitor, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, nucleotide
reverse transcriptase inhibitor)

- Lipoatrophy developed after initiating HAART treatment (see criteria below). Leptin
levels should be less than 4 ng/ml.

- Insulin resistance, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or type 2
diabetes developed after starting the antiretroviral medications. These categories
are defined, respectively, as fasting insulin level above 15 µIU/ml; fasting serum
glucose value above 100 mg/dl; 2-hour serum glucose level during a 75 gram oral
glucose tolerance test (OGTT) between 140 and 200 mg/dl; and fasting glucose above
126 mg/dl or random glucose level above 200 mg/dl with presence of the classic
symptoms of diabetes, such as polyuria, polydipsia, ketonuria, and rapid weight loss

- Hypertriglyceridemia and/or hypercholesterolemia developed after starting the
antiretroviral therapy. These categories are defined as fasting triglycerides greater
than 150 mg/dl and LDL cholesterol greater than 130 mg/dl, respectively

- Female subjects must have a negative urine pregnancy test before enrollment and must
agree to use a barrier contraception i.e. condoms, diaphragm or IUD, with or without
a hormonal-based method for the duration of the study. Women who are pregnant or
become pregnant during the study and who do not accept some form of contraception
will be excluded from the study.

- Patients should have history of peripheral fat wasting of the face (e.g. sunken
cheeks), limbs (including prominent veins), and/or buttocks, which developed after
the initiation of HAART therapy

- Patients should have physical exam findings of a) facial atrophy - sunken cheeks,
sunken temporal regions, and/or prominent temporal veins and b) wasting of fat in
periphery, limbs and/or buttocks (including prominent veins)

- Patients should have anthropometric measurements suggestive of decreased subcutaneous
fat content: Decreased triceps skinfold thickness (< 4 mm in men and < 8 mm in women)
or Decreased upper arm circumference (< 27.1 cm in men and < 23.3 cm in women) or
Decreased subscapular skinfold thickness (< 7 mm in men and < 7 mm in women) or dual
energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning suggestive of fat depletion: total body
fat < 14% in men and < 22% in women.

Exclusion Criteria:

- History of impaired glucose metabolism or hyperlipidemia prior to antiretroviral use

- Triglyceride levels higher than 1500 mg/dl after the 1 month run-in phase or anytime
during the study

- Abnormal hepatic function: liver function tests higher than twice the upper normal
range

- Abnormal renal function: creatinine higher than 1.3 mg/dl

- Any condition/illness that may affect study outcomes such as pregnancy, active
infection except HIV, clinically significant malabsorption/malnutrition, malignancy

- Any active hormonal disease and/or hormonal treatment that may affect the outcomes of
interest such as clinically overt hypo/hyperthyroidism, hypogonadism,
hypercortisolism, or treatment with steroids or growth hormone (exception: patients
taking testosterone can be included in the trial if they agree to continue the same
dosage for the duration of the trial)

- Present alcoholism or drug abuse. These conditions will be screened for by a detailed
history and systems review and baseline laboratory analysis with chemistries, CBC,
and hormone levels, and EKG.
GenderBoth
Ages18 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersAccepts Healthy Volunteers
ContactsNot Provided
Location CountriesUnited States

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT00362440
Other Study ID Numbers2005P-000159
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeNo
Information Provided ByBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Study SponsorBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
CollaboratorsAmerican Diabetes Association
Investigators Principal Investigator: Christos Mantzoros, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Verification DateFebruary 2013

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215