Counteracting Deleterious Metabolic Glucocorticoid Effects With Metformin
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2021-08-18
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Supraphysiological doses of glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely prescribed as immunosuppressants
and metabolic side effects such as obesity and diabetes are extremely common. Efforts to
investigate and prevent these side effects are lacking. The antidiabetic drug metformin was
shown in previous studies to prevent deterioration of glucose homeostasis during GC therapy
in patients. However, mechanisms of metformin counteracting GC-induced side effects remain
poorly understood.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, 18 healthy volunteers will receive a
7-day course of prednisone with metformin or placebo. Established methods will be used to
assess systemic changes in energy homeostasis and novel techniques such as metabolomics will
identify underlying pathways. This will advance the understanding of energy homeostasis
during GC excess, may prevent thousands of patients from GC-induced side effects and also
offers a model for targeting disrupted endogenous GCs secretion.