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Pioglitazone for the Treatment of Bipolar Depression

Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pioglitazone for Bipolar Depression

Status
Terminated
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01717040
Enrollment
37
Registered
2012-10-30
Start date
2012-09-30
Completion date
2016-03-31
Last updated
2017-01-27

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

Conditions

Bipolar Disorder, Insulin Resistance

Keywords

Bipolar Disorder, Insulin Resistance

Brief summary

The primary objective is to test the hypothesis that adjunctive pioglitazone is more effective than placebo for the relief of acute depressive symptoms resulting from bipolar disorder. The secondary objectives are to determine potential moderators and mediators of antidepressant efficacy.

Detailed description

The study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled 8-week trial of pioglitazone, either as monotherapy or adjunctive to a mood stabilizer, for the acute relief of bipolar depression. The enrollment goal is 80 subjects (40 patients each in the pioglitazone treatment group and the placebo treatment group). Screening Phase: Patients who have been prescribed a mood stabilizer for \> 4 weeks and are on a therapeutic dose will proceed directly to the Screening Visit. For situations in which the patient prefers to be taking a mood stabilizer or where the treating psychiatrist feels it is clinically necessary, a mood stabilizer (lithium, divalproex, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, aripiprazole, ziprasidone or lurasidone) will be initiated (see Mood Stabilizer Initiation section below). For this set of patients who do begin a mood stabilizer, the Screening Phase may last up to 8 weeks. Otherwise, subjects who do not come in on a mood stabilizer will proceed directly to screening. Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Period (Week 1 to Week 8): Patients who meet inclusion/exclusion criteria will be randomized to study treatment at the baseline/randomization visit within 30 days of the screening visit. The efficacy and safety assessments will be carried out at baseline/randomization and then weekly or every two weeks for a total of 8 weeks.

Interventions

DRUGPioglitazone

Pioglitazone will be initiated at a starting daily dose of 15 mg. After 7 days, the dose may be increased to 30 mg and after 35 days may be increased to a maximum of 45 mg per day.

DRUGPlacebo

Placebo will be initiated at a starting daily dose of 15 mg. After 7 days, the dose may be increased to 30 mg and after 35 days may be increased to a maximum of 45 mg per day.

Sponsors

The Depressive and Bipolar Disorder Alternative Treatment Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Be male or female \>= 18 years of age * Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) diagnosis of bipolar disorder (type I, II, or NOS) * Currently depressed as confirmed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.)-Plus at the screening visit * Inventory of Depressive Symptoms total score \> 25 or Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR16) \> 11 at study baseline * Women of childbearing potential (not surgically sterile or 2 years postmenopausal), must use a medically accepted method of contraception and must agree to continue use of this method for the duration of the study and for 30 days after participation in the study. Acceptable methods of contraception include barrier method with spermicide, abstinence, intrauterine device (IUD), or steroidal contraceptive (oral, transdermal, implanted, and injected) in conjunction with a barrier method.

Exclusion criteria

* Pregnant or breast feeding * Unstable or inadequately treated medical illness as judged by the investigator * Severe personality disorder * Serious suicidal risk as judged by the investigator or having a score ≥ 4 on Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) item number 10 (suicidal thoughts) at screening or baseline * Known history of intolerance or hypersensitivity to pioglitazone * Treatment with pioglitazone in the 3 months prior to randomization * Dependence on alcohol or drugs (other than nicotine) in the 3 months prior to study entry * Currently taking insulin or rosiglitazone. * Diagnosed with dementia * Acute Mania as defined by a Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) score \> 15 * Diagnosed with heart failure * Transaminase elevation \>2.5 times the upper limit of normal * Presence of renal impairment (eg. creatinine \> 1.5) * History of bladder carcinoma * Fasting blood glucose \>150 mg/dL and Hb A1c\> 7%; participants meeting these criteria will be referred to an endocrinologist or their primary care physician for a diabetes evaluation and education. * Receiving acute series of electroconvulsive therapy

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C30) Total ScoreBaseline and Week 8Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C30) is designed to assess the severity of depressive symptoms. Total scores can range from 0 to 84 with higher scores indicating a higher severity of depressive symptoms

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Pioglitazone
Pioglitazone: Pioglitazone will be initiated at a starting daily dose of 15 mg. After 7 days, the dose may be increased to 30 mg and after 35 days may be increased to a maximum of 45 mg per day.
17
Placebo
Placebo: Placebo will be initiated at a starting daily dose of 15 mg. After 7 days, the dose may be increased to 30 mg and after 35 days may be increased to a maximum of 45 mg per day.
20
Total37

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyAdverse Event10
Overall StudyLack of Efficacy11
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up23
Overall StudyNew Substance Use Disorder10
Overall StudyRequired Medication Change01

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicPioglitazonePlaceboTotal
Age, Continuous46.71 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.071
43.65 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.979
45.05 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.492
Bipolar Diagnosis
BP 1
11 Participants13 Participants24 Participants
Bipolar Diagnosis
BP 2
5 Participants7 Participants12 Participants
Bipolar Diagnosis
BP NOS
1 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Gender
Female
10 Participants14 Participants24 Participants
Gender
Male
7 Participants6 Participants13 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
6 Participants6 Participants12 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
11 Participants14 Participants25 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
6 / 178 / 20
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 170 / 20

Outcome results

Primary

Change in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C30) Total Score

Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C30) is designed to assess the severity of depressive symptoms. Total scores can range from 0 to 84 with higher scores indicating a higher severity of depressive symptoms

Time frame: Baseline and Week 8

ArmMeasureValue (LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN)Dispersion
PioglitazoneChange in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C30) Total Score31.4 units on a scaleStandard Error 3
PlaceboChange in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician Rated (IDS-C30) Total Score24.3 units on a scaleStandard Error 2.7

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026