NCT01729156

Brief Summary

Background: Metformin treatment has beneficial effects on both glucose and lipid metabolism. Whereas there is general agreement that the blood glucose lowering effect of metformin results from inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis, it is less clear exactly how the drug lowers blood triglyceride concentration. There are indications that it enhances hepatic free fatty acid (FFA) oxidation thus diminishing substrate for reesterification and resecretion as very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides (TG). However, the liver is not easily accessible for sampling in humans and data on the clinical effects of metformin in the liver are therefore lacking. This may change due to the increasing use of the positron emission tomography (PET) technique. Using PET isotopes (11C or 18F) coupled to either palmitate or a fatty acid analogue, it is possible to non-invasively measure hepatic fatty acid handling. Aim: To determine how 3 months metformin treatment (1000 mg twice daily) affects hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Design: Randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind parallel study with patients receiving either metformin or placebo. A control group of BMI and age-matched non-diabetic individuals will receive metformin for 3 months. Hypothesis: Metformin lowers VLDL-TG secretion and circulating triglycerides by increasing hepatic fatty acid oxidation

Trial Health

100
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
36

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for phase_4 type-2-diabetes

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2013

Longer than P75 for phase_4 type-2-diabetes

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

November 13, 2012

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

November 20, 2012

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 1, 2013

Completed
4.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

May 5, 2017

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 5, 2017

Completed
2.4 years until next milestone

Results Posted

Study results publicly available

October 15, 2019

Completed
Last Updated

October 15, 2019

Status Verified

September 1, 2019

Enrollment Period

4.3 years

First QC Date

November 13, 2012

Results QC Date

September 24, 2019

Last Update Submit

September 24, 2019

Conditions

Keywords

Type 2 diabetesHepatic fatty acid oxidationDyslipidemiaMetformin

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

  • Hepatic Fatty Acid Oxidation

    Hepatic fatty acid oxidation assessed by dynamic C11-palmitate PET

    90 days

  • Hepatic Fatty Acid Reesterification

    Hepatic fatty acid reesterification assessed by C11-palmitate PET

    90 days

  • Hepatic Fatty Acid Uptake

    Hepatic fatty acid uptake assessed by C11-palmitate PET

    90 days

  • VLDL-TG Secretion

    Hepatic VLDL-TG secretion assessed by \[1-14C\] VLDL tracer

    90 days

  • Whole Body Glucose Rd

    Whole body basal glucose metabolism assessed by \[3-3H\]glucose tracer kinetics

    90 days

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Fatty Acid Turnover

    90 days

  • VLDL-TG Oxidation

    90 days

Study Arms (3)

Healthy controls

OTHER

Healthy controls receiving 1000 mg metformin twice daily for 3 months

Drug: Metformin

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Placebo

Drug: Placebo

Metformin

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Metformin "Sandoz", 1000 mg twice daily for 3 months

Drug: Metformin

Interventions

1000 mg metformin twice daily in 3 months

Also known as: Metformin "Sandoz" 500 mg
Healthy controlsMetformin

2 tablets twice daily in 3 months

Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

Age50 Years - 70 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes
  • Age 50-70 years
  • BMI\<40

You may not qualify if:

  • Insulin treatment
  • NASH (non alcoholic steatohepatitis)
  • Cancer
  • Anemia
  • HbA1C\>8.5 %
  • Chronic or acute pancreatitis
  • Alcohol or medicine abuse
  • Allergy towards metformin
  • Claustrophobia
  • Severe obesity (weight \>130 kilogram)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Related Publications (1)

  • Gormsen LC, Sondergaard E, Christensen NL, Brosen K, Jessen N, Nielsen S. Metformin increases endogenous glucose production in non-diabetic individuals and individuals with recent-onset type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2019 Jul;62(7):1251-1256. doi: 10.1007/s00125-019-4872-7. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Dyslipidemias

Interventions

Metformin

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Diabetes MellitusGlucose Metabolism DisordersMetabolic DiseasesNutritional and Metabolic DiseasesEndocrine System DiseasesLipid Metabolism Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

BiguanidesGuanidinesAmidinesOrganic Chemicals

Results Point of Contact

Title
Lars C. Gormsen, Consultant
Organization
Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital

Study Officials

  • Lars C Gormsen, MD PhD

    Aarhus University Hospital

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

PI is Sponsor Employee
No
Restrictive Agreement
No

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 4
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Senior Registrar, MD PhD

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

November 13, 2012

First Posted

November 20, 2012

Study Start

January 1, 2013

Primary Completion

May 5, 2017

Study Completion

May 5, 2017

Last Updated

October 15, 2019

Results First Posted

October 15, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-09