Improving Metabolic Parameters of Antipsychotic Child Treatment With Ziprasidone, Aripiprazole, and Clozapine

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of two approaches to the control of weight gain and other negative side effects in children and adolescents on 2nd generation antipsychotics (SGA): - Healthy lifestyle instruction (nutritional and physical activity surveillance and advice) + continuation of current SGA; - Add the diabetes drug, metformin + continuation of current SGA.
ConditionWeight Gain
InterventionDrug: metformin
Behavioral: healthy lifestyle intervention
PhasePhase 2
SponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Responsible PartyUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT00617058
First ReceivedFebruary 5, 2008
Last UpdatedNovember 28, 2012
Last verifiedNovember 2012

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateFebruary 5, 2008
Last Updated DateNovember 28, 2012
Start DateMarch 2007
Estimated Primary Completion DateSeptember 2010
Current Primary Outcome Measures
  • Percent Change in BMI [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Absolute Change in Weight [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in Fat Mass [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in Weight [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
Current Secondary Outcome Measures
  • Percent Change in Insulin Levels [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in Total Cholesterol [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in Triglycerides [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in Glucose Levels [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in HDL [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]
  • Percent Change in LDL [Time Frame: 24 weeks] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleImproving Metabolic Parameters of Antipsychotic Child Treatment With Ziprasidone, Aripiprazole, and Clozapine
Official TitleImproving Metabolic Parameters of Antipsychotic Child Treatment With Ziprasidone, Aripiprazole, and Clozapine
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of two approaches
to the control of weight gain and other negative side effects in children and adolescents on
2nd generation antipsychotics (SGA):

- Healthy lifestyle instruction (nutritional and physical activity surveillance and
advice) + continuation of current SGA;

- Add the diabetes drug, metformin + continuation of current SGA.
Detailed Description
The proposed pilot study is being conducted to obtain pilot data to support a grant
application for a multi-site randomized controlled trial. The primary objective is to
evaluate the relative risks and benefits of two approaches to the control of weight gain and
other negative side effects in children and adolescents on 2nd generation antipsychotics
(SGA). The critical question being addressed is: What can be done for the many youth who
have gained substantial weight or developed high levels of lipids or glucose in their blood
on an SGA; but due to their illness require continued treatment with an antipsychotic?

At least 40 youths (and no more than 60) age 10-17 that have gained substantial weight while
taking a frequently used SGA: ziprasidone, aripiprazole or clozapine will be randomized to
one of two treatments for 6 months:

- Healthy lifestyle instruction (nutritional and physical activity surveillance and
advice) + continuation of current SGA;

- Add the diabetes drug, metformin + continuation of current SGA.

- Subjects may also elect to be in an observational arm that involves no intervention but
the same major assessments.

Height, weight, body fat, and various blood tests indicative of general health will be
collected during the 6 month trial to monitor the health benefits and safety of the
interventions.

SGAs are associated with concerning degrees of weight gain and metabolic consequences.
Children and adolescents, in whom SGAs are used increasingly for a wide variety of
conditions, are particularly vulnerable to these side effects, which adversely affect health
and longevity. It is imperative that researchers evaluate the efficacy and safety of
interventions designed to prevent and treat the weight gain and metabolic problems caused by
antipsychotic treatment of children. Lifestyle interventions and adjunctive medications all
hold some promise of efficacy. However, it is essential that these strategies be rigorously
evaluated as soon as possible in order to prevent the ongoing health consequences of SGA
treatment in another generation of children with serious psychiatric illnesses.
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhasePhase 2
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment
ConditionWeight Gain
InterventionDrug: metformin
open dosed, randomly assigned flexible dose treatment with 250-2000mg/day divided BID or TID
Other Names:
GlucophageBehavioral: healthy lifestyle intervention
additional component to regular psychiatric visits that includes monitoring of lifestyle and eating behaviors.
Study Arm (s)
  • Experimental: 1
    metformin, 250mg-2000 mg/day, in BID to TID doses for 26 weeks. Open, flexibly adjusted.
  • Experimental: 2
    Healthy lifestyle intervention. Additional meeting at each psychiatric visit to review weight changes, level of physical activity and healthy eating behaviors
  • No Intervention: 3
    Self-selected patients will be followed at major timepoints to assess weight and related measures.

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusTerminated
Estimated Enrollment1
Estimated Completion DateSeptember 2010
Estimated Primary Completion DateJune 2010
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- Ages 10 to 17 years (inclusive).

- Receiving treatment with ziprasidone, aripiprazole or clozapine for the past 56 days
or longer.

- Clinically stable on current treatment regimen (see Rationales below).

- Stable dose of current psychotropic co-medications for at least 30 days.

- BMI increase of > 7% within 3 months OR a > 0.5 BMI z-score increase within the past
24 months while taking olanzapine, quetiapine or risperidone, with maintenance of the
threshold level of weight gain.

- Lifetime diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (schizophrenia,
schizoaffective disorder, psychotic disorder NOS), a bipolar spectrum disorder
(bipolar disorder, bipolar disorder NOS), certain mood disorders (mood disorder NOS,
major depressive disorder with psychotic features), or certain disruptive/aggressive
disorders (conduct disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, autism spectrum
disorder with history of clinically significant levels of disruptive behaviors as
defined below) using DSM-IV criteria determined by clinical interview and K-SADS-PL.

- Sexually active girls must agree to use an effective form of birth control or be
abstinent.

- Principle caretaker is able to participate in study appointments as is clinically
indicated.

- guardian and the child must agree (legally consent and assent) to participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Any medication that would significantly alter glucose, insulin or lipid levels.
Prohibited medications will include, but are not limited to: insulin, steroids,
topiramate, sibutramine, orlistat, metformin, amantadine, vitamin E (other than in
standard multivitamins), antidiabetic drugs, HIV drugs.

- Major neurological disorder or medical illness that affects weight gain (e.g.,
unstable thyroid disease), requires a prohibited systemic medication or procedure
(e.g., diabetes mellitus [insulin], chronic renal failure [steroids]) or that would
prevent participation in physical activity in the healthy lifestyle program.

- Current active thyroid (TSH >18 microIU/ml), hepatic (2 LFTs >4x upper limits of
normal), renal (serum Creatinine >1.4 mg/dL in females and serum Creatinine >1.5
mg/dL in males), cardiac, gastrointestinal, or adrenal disease.

- Fasting glucose > 125 mg/dL on two occasions indicating need for prompt treatment for
diabetes.

- Child meets DSM-IV criteria for substance abuse or dependence disorder within the
past month, not including tobacco abuse or dependence • Current treatment with
more than one antipsychotic medication.

- Current treatment with more than 5 total psychotropic medications (i.e., 4
psychotropics plus SGA).

- Known hypersensitivity to metformin.

- Pregnant or breast feeding.

- Current or lifetime diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

- Significant risk for dangerousness to self or to others that makes participating
inadvisable.

- Language issues that prevent child and/or parent from completing assessments or
treatment.

- Ongoing or previously undisclosed child abuse requiring new department of social
service intervention.
GenderBoth
Ages10 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersNo
ContactsNot Provided
Location CountriesUnited States

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT00617058
Other Study ID Numbers05-3110 GCRC-2529
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeYes
Information Provided ByUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Study SponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
CollaboratorsFoundation of Hope, North Carolina
Investigators Principal Investigator: Linmarie Sikich, MD University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry
Verification DateNovember 2012

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

University of North Carolina, Department of Psychiatry
Chapel HIll, North Carolina, United States, 27599