Integrating the Genetic and Metabolic Faces of Obesity

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2012-10-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The goal of this study is to determine why some obese individuals develop insulin resistance and others do not. We hypothesize that an impairment in differentiation of fat cells (adipocytes) is responsible for the development of insulin resistance in select obese individuals. This study will evaluate obese individuals at baseline with respect to characteristics of adipocytes, including gene expression, and will then entail randomizing subjects to either weight loss or treatment with an insulin sensitizing drug (pioglitazone). Changes in insulin resistance will be associated with changes in adipocyte morphology and gene expression.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Stanford University
• Treatments: 2,4-thiazolidinedione; Pioglitazone

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• nondiabetic defined as fasting plasma glucose < 126 mg/dL

• body mass index 27 to 35 kg/m2

• no major organ diseases

• able to come to Stanford for regular clinical research center visits

• English speaking or has own translator

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy/lactation

• history of eating disorder or major psychiatric illness

• allergy to thiazolidenedione

• elevation of liver enzymes (> 2.5 times upper normal limit)