Moxifloxacin is routinely used as a probe to confirm assay sensitivity in thorough
electrocardiogram (ECG) studies. It has been shown that a meal shortens the QT interval,
which may affect pharmacokinetics (PK) and/or pharmacodynamics (PD) of the study drug.
However, there is no published data clarifying this issue. There is also a paucity of data
investigating ethnic differences of the effects of medicines on QTc.
The aims of the study were to compare the effect of different food contents to placebo on the
changes in ECG and to demonstrate the effect of insulin, C-peptide and glucose on the ECG.
This was done by giving different treatments on separate days, which included intravenous
insulin, a high carbohydrate breakfast [>70%], and a calorie reduced low carbohydrate
American FDA standard breakfast. Moxifloxacin 400 mg was used as a positive control and was
given with and without food to Caucasian and Japanese volunteers to investigate racial
differences.