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The Effects of Anti-Inflammatory Treatment on Insulin Resistance in Healthy Volunteers

The Effect of Salsalate Treatment on Insulin Sensitivity and Insulin Secretion in Obese Non-Diabetic Individuals

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00339833
Enrollment
54
Registered
2006-06-21
Start date
2003-03-31
Completion date
2008-07-31
Last updated
2013-03-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

Keywords

Salsalate, Insulin Resistance, Diabetes Mellitus, Inflammation, Diabetes, HCV

Brief summary

This study, conducted at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, will determine whether reducing subclinical inflammation lessens insulin resistance in healthy, obese volunteers. The study findings may lead to new strategies for preventing type 2 diabetes. In diabetes, blood sugar is higher than normal and can result in serious medical problems, such as blindness and kidney failure. People with subclinical inflammation-inflammation that does not produce symptoms, such as fever, pain, or skin redness-are at increased risk for diabetes. Although the reasons for this are not completely understood, it is known that subclinical inflammation exacerbates insulin resistance, which is a cause of diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that helps control blood sugar, and when it does not work properly, the condition is known as insulin resistance. Normal, healthy volunteers between 18 and 45 years old with a body mass index of at least 30 kg/m2 and who have subclinical inflammation (determined by blood tests) may be eligible for this study. Candidates must be non-smokers and must not have an alcohol or drug problem. Candidates will be screened with a medical history and physical examination, electrocardiogram, and blood and urine tests. Participants will maintain a standard diet and undergo tests and procedures during a 14-day inpatient stay at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center.

Detailed description

In healthy subjects, low-grade inflammation, as measured by serum levels of cytokines or acute phase proteins, is positively associated with adiposity. Recent studies indicate that chronic low-grade inflammation in non-diabetic individuals may cause decline in insulin sensitivity and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It has been proposed that reduction of low-grade inflammation may reduce the risk of development of type 2 diabetes. In agreement with this hypothesis, the class of anti-inflammatory drugs called salicylates (such as aspirin) that influence a specific anti-inflammatory pathway have been found to decrease plasma glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity in rodents as well as people with type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we propose testing whether administration of the anti-inflammatory drug Salsalate improves insulin sensitivity in obese non-diabetic individuals and whether this improvement is related with a decrease in serum markers of inflammation. Subjects will be randomly assigned to two treatment groups: placebo or Salsalate (3g/d). An oral glucose tolerance test and a combined euglycemic/hyperglycemic clamp to assess insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion will be performed before and after seven days of treatment. Results of this study may help to identify novel strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups.

Interventions

DRUGSalsalate

The intervention was salsalate (3g/day) for 7 days.

DRUGPlacebo

Identical placebo for 7 days.

Sponsors

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Lead SponsorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: Age: Greater than 18 and less than 45 years. Number: 44 completed studies (22 placebo, 22 Salsalate). Sex: 22 Males and 22 Females. BMI: Greater than or equal to 30 kg.m(2)

Exclusion criteria

* Age below 18 or above 45 years to minimize the risk of glucose clamp. * Diabetes mellitus (as per 75 g OGTT, WHO 1999 criteria) * Cardiovascular disease including: abnormal EKG, personal history of coronary heart disease;symptomatic angina pectoris or cardiac insufficiency as defined by NYHA; classification as functional class III or IV. * Systolic blood pressure greater than 160mmHG and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than 100 mmHg and/or on antihypertensive therapy or resting heart rate greater than 90 bpm. * Hematological disorder, including prolonged prothrombin time (normal range 10.9-12.9 sec) and partial thromboplastin time (24-36 sec) and thrombocytopenia (less than 150,000 mm(3)). * Respiratory disease (including influenza, asthma) * Allergies (including hay fever) * Gastrointestinal (including peptic ulcer), hepatic or renal disease (ALT and AST greater than 3-fold above upper limit of normal range, creatinine greater than 1.3 mg/dl). * Alcoholism, alcohol-induced autonomic neuropathy. * Any endocrinological disorder, including hypopituitarism/pituitary dysfunctions or lesions, hypo/hyperthyroidism, insulinoma. * CNS disease * Psychosis or personal history of any psychiatric disorder. * Taking medications within one month prior to beginning the study, including medications known to have pharmacological interactions with salicylates or that may affect insulin sensitivity and secretion (including salicylates, COX 1 and COX 2 inhibitors, warfarin, Beta-Blockers, phenothiazines, antidepressants, antiarrhythmic drugs, antimuscarinic drugs). * Acute inflammation as assessed by history, physical and laboratory examination (subjects with C-reactive protein 2 standard deviations above the population mean will not be admitted). The population mean was calculated from subjects admitted at our research unit. * Pregnant or lactating females or females on hormonal contraceptives. * History of metabolic acidosis. * Allergy to aspirin, other salicylates, or bleeding diathesis or currently on oral anticoagulants. * Any current viral illness. * Active cancer within 5 years prior to screening for the study. * Positive urine drug screening test. * Inability to provide informed consent. * Smokers

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Change in Fasting Plasma Glucose Concentration7 days
Change in the Average Serum Insulin Concentration During the Last 40 Min of Clamplast 40 min of clamp

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

Recruitment location: clinical research unit at the NIDKK (Phoenix, AZ, USA)

Pre-assignment details

Upon admission, all participants were placed on a weight maintaining diet (containing 50% of energy as carbohydrate, 30% as fat and 20% as protein). Body composition was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. At least 3 days after admission and after a 12 h overnight fast a 2-h 75 g OGTT was performed to exclude diabetes.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Salsalate
Salsalate (3g/day) for 7 days
22
Placebo
Identical placebo for 7 days
18
Total40

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall Studyanaemia or excess drop in glycaemia20
Overall StudyChest pain01
Overall StudyError in data records10
Overall Studyindigestion01
Overall Studyminor infection01
Overall StudyPoor venous access22
Overall Studytoothache01
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject12

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicSalsalatePlaceboTotal
2 hour plasma glucose6.67 mmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.17
6.61 mmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.83
6.64 mmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.5
Age Continuous29 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7
33 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8
31 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.5
Basal EGP10 micro-mol/(kg*min)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2
11 micro-mol/(kg*min)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2
10.5 micro-mol/(kg*min)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2
BMI37 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5
38 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6
37.5 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.5
Body Fat38 % body fat
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6
38 % body fat
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7
38 % body fat
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.5
Clamp R_d13 micro-mol/(kg*min)16 micro-mol/(kg*min)14 micro-mol/(kg*min)
Fasting plasma glucose5.11 mmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.33
5.06 mmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.33
5.09 mmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.33
Fasting plasma insulin80 pmol/l63 pmol/l76 pmol/l
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Hispanic
0 participants1 participants1 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Native American
19 participants14 participants33 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
White
3 participants3 participants6 participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
22 participants18 participants40 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
12 Participants9 Participants21 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
10 Participants9 Participants19 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 220 / 18
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 220 / 18

Outcome results

Primary

Change in Fasting Plasma Glucose Concentration

Time frame: 7 days

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
SalsalateChange in Fasting Plasma Glucose Concentration4.7 mmol/lStandard Deviation 6.5
PlaceboChange in Fasting Plasma Glucose Concentration0.0 mmol/lStandard Deviation 3.7
Primary

Change in the Average Serum Insulin Concentration During the Last 40 Min of Clamp

Time frame: last 40 min of clamp

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
SalsalateChange in the Average Serum Insulin Concentration During the Last 40 Min of Clamp0.15 l/minStandard Deviation 0.21
PlaceboChange in the Average Serum Insulin Concentration During the Last 40 Min of Clamp-0.06 l/minStandard Deviation 0.23

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 9, 2026