None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Glucocorticoids are potent anti inflammatory agents that are used to treat a wide range of inflammatory and rheumatologic conditions. Most patients require a relatively low dose of glucocorticoid for disease control, with one study reporting a mean prednisolone dose of 8mg/day which is approximately 2 to 3 times the physiological glucocorticoid production. The purpose of this study is to investigate : whether typical therapeutic steroid doses increase the risk of a heart attack. whether high blood sugars after a meal are related to risk of heart attack. a novel mechanism by which steroids might increase fat mass through reducing brown fat activity.
Interventions
Group 1: The effect of oral low dose prednisolone on arterial stiffness (assessed by pulse wave analysis from radial artery using Sphygmocor device), sympathetic nervous system activity ( assessed using a task force haemodynamic monitor), energy metabolism (using indirect calorimetry,assessing brown fat activity using FLIR T425 infrared camera) and carbohydrate metabolism (by serial glucose, insulin and C peptide ), in patients aged more than 30years with inflammatory rheumatologic disease will
Group 1: The effect of oral low dose prednisolone on arterial stiffness (assessed by pulse wave analysis from radial artery using Sphygmocor device), sympathetic nervous system activity ( assessed using a task force haemodynamic monitor), energy metabolism (using indirect calorimetry,assessing brown fat activity using FLIR T425 infrared camera) and carbohydrate metabolism (by serial glucose, insulin and C peptide ), in patients aged more than 30years with inflammatory rheumatologic disease will be studied before and after a seven day course of oral prednisolone (mean dose of arm 2). The tests will be done before and 1 to 2.5hours after a mixed meal (10 Kcal/Kg) on the day studied (involves two visits, total duration of 5hours on study day). Group 2: The effect of oral low dose prednisolone(4 to 10mg/day) on arterial stiffness, sympathetic nervous system activity, energy and carbohydrate metabolism in patients aged more than 30years with inflammatory rheumatologic disease on oral prednisolone for more than 6 months will be studied before and 1 to 2.5 hours after a mixed meal( 10Kcal/Kg). (involves single visit,total duration of 5hours on study day).
Sponsors
Morton Burt
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Other
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
30 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Group 1 : Has inflammatory rhematologic disease No prednisolone for >6 months Age >30years Group 2 : Has inflammatory rhematologic disease Taking prednisolone 4 to 10 mg/day for >6months Age >30years
Exclusion criteria
Taking oral hypoglycemic agents, insulin or beta blockers Atrial fibrillation Inability to provide written informed consent History of claustrophobia
Outcome results
None listed