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Metabolic Effects of Hydroxychloroquine

Metabolic Effects of Hydroxychloroquine

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02026232
Acronym
MetaHcQ
Enrollment
21
Registered
2014-01-01
Start date
2012-03-31
Completion date
2022-12-15
Last updated
2023-12-28

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

Conditions

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Keywords

Type 2 Diabetes, Overweight

Brief summary

The basic plan of the study is to randomize otherwise healthy subjects with type 2 diabetes to hydroxychloroquine, 200 mg twice daily or placebo.

Detailed description

Hydroxychloroquine is a medicine that has been used for a long time to treat patients with malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other conditions. It is closely related to chloroquine but with a better side effect profile for long term use. In treating these conditions it was discovered to have some beneficial properties like lowering cholesterol and lowering sugar in the blood of those who have diabetes. The mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. In animal studies, we have discovered that chloroquine appears to decrease glucose, lower blood pressure and decrease atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This collection of problems commonly occurs in the metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, which affects over 20% and 7% of adults in Western countries respectively. We have recently looked at the effects of chloroquine on the metabolic syndrome in humans which showed that small doses given for a short period of time would reduce insulin resistance in patients with the metabolic syndrome. Several population studies have shown similar effects with hydroxychloroquine. Since hydroxychloroquine is similar to chloroquine, we thus expect similar effects on blood glucose, blood pressure and blood cholesterol in type 2 diabetes. This offers a unique opportunity to develop a novel approach for lowering blood pressure, lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), and glucose in people at risk for heart disease

Interventions

DRUGHydroxychloroquine

200mg twice daily

200mg placebo twice daily

Sponsors

Washington University School of Medicine
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Subjects between the age of 18 and 75, either gender, any ethnic group * Subjects must have type 2 diabetes and the following: * A1c of 6.5-9.0% * Treated with at least 1000 mg of metformin daily with or without a dipeptidyl peptidase-4(DPP4)inhibitor, a sulfonylurea (glipizide, glyburide, glimepiride),bromocriptine or colesevelam. * Subjects should have a BMI \>27

Exclusion criteria

* Prior treatment with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine as follows: 1. any exposure in the past 2 years, 2. \>30 days of therapy if exposure was between 2 and 5 years ago, 3. \>90 days of therapy if exposure was between 5 and 10 years ago, 4. \>6 months of therapy if exposure was 10 to 20 years ago, 5. \>1 year of therapy if exposure was 20 to 30 years ago, 6. No limit if last exposure was \>30 years ago, e.g. during the Vietnam conflict. * Morbid obesity (BMI \>45) * Coronary artery disease or other vascular disease * History of stroke * Serum creatinine \>-4 mg/dl for women and \>-5 mg/dl for men. * Seizure disorder * History of psoriasis * Hematologic disorders, including anemia (WHO criteria for anemia:hemoglobin \<13g/dL in men and \<12 g/dL in women) * Current malignancy or active treatment for recurrence prevention,e.g. tamoxifen. Cancer considered to be cured, either as a result of surgery or other treatment is not exclusionary. * Asthma requiring daily beta agonist therapy or intermittent oral steroids is exclusionary. Inhaled steroids are acceptable. Obstructive sleep apnea will be allowed if continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) or other therapy has been stable for 6 months. Other active respiratory diseases are excluded. * Treatment with 50mg or greater of Metoprolol or treatment with digoxin * Liver disease, or Liver Function Test \>2 times normal * Active infection (including HIV) * Serious illness requiring ongoing medical care or medication * Treatment with atypical anti-psychotic medication. Treatment with any other medication for psychiatric illness, unless on a stable dose for 6 weeks prior to enrollment. Patients with unstable psychiatric disorders are excluded per the decision of the study MD regardless of medication history. * Taking any of the following lipid lowering medications: niacin, fibrates, and greater than 1 gm/day of fish oils * Uncontrolled hypertension (BP \>150/90 mm Hg) at enrollment * Need for daily Over The Counter medications, or currently taking cimetidine or \>1000 IU vitamin E daily and unwilling to reduce or discontinue vitamin E or discontinue cimetidine for the duration of the study. Patients taking more than 1000 IU vitamin E daily should reduce or discontinue the vitamin for 30 days before randomization. * Pregnant or lactating women, or women intending to become pregnant * Women not using adequate birth control (hormonal birth control is acceptable, also double barrier) * QT corrected \>450 msec on screening ECG * Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Effect of HCQ on Fasting Blood Glucose4 weeksdetermined by fasting blood glucose performed at baseline and follow-up

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Effect of HCQ on Fasting Low Density Lipoprotein4 weeksdetermined by lipid profile with calculated LDL performed at baseline and follow-up

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

Two participants withdrew consent prior to the baseline visit. After the baseline visit, participants were randomized to either the hydroxychloroquine group or the placebo group.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Hydroxychloroquine
hydroxychloroquine twice daily for 4 weeks Hydroxychloroquine: 200mg twice daily
7
Placebo
hydroxychloroquine placebo twice daily for 4 weeks Hydroxychloroquine Placebo: 200mg placebo twice daily
9
Total16

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall Studyincomplete visit/missing data32

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicHydroxychloroquinePlaceboTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
2 Participants3 Participants5 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
5 Participants6 Participants11 Participants
Age, Continuous55 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14
61 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7
59 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
African American
2 Participants1 Participants3 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Caucasian
5 Participants8 Participants13 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
4 Participants1 Participants5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
3 Participants8 Participants11 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 100 / 11
other
Total, other adverse events
3 / 101 / 11
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 100 / 11

Outcome results

Primary

Effect of HCQ on Fasting Blood Glucose

determined by fasting blood glucose performed at baseline and follow-up

Time frame: 4 weeks

Population: randomized participants

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
HydroxychloroquineEffect of HCQ on Fasting Blood GlucoseFollow-up Glucose (mg/dL)165.9 mg/dLStandard Deviation 67.1
HydroxychloroquineEffect of HCQ on Fasting Blood GlucoseBaseline Glucose (mg/dL)186.9 mg/dLStandard Deviation 64.5
PlaceboEffect of HCQ on Fasting Blood GlucoseBaseline Glucose (mg/dL)163.1 mg/dLStandard Deviation 22.5
PlaceboEffect of HCQ on Fasting Blood GlucoseFollow-up Glucose (mg/dL)158.8 mg/dLStandard Deviation 38.7
p-value: 0.05t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Effect of HCQ on Fasting Low Density Lipoprotein

determined by lipid profile with calculated LDL performed at baseline and follow-up

Time frame: 4 weeks

Population: Randomized Participants

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
HydroxychloroquineEffect of HCQ on Fasting Low Density LipoproteinBaseline - LDL (mg/dL)90.4 mg/dLStandard Deviation 21.4
HydroxychloroquineEffect of HCQ on Fasting Low Density LipoproteinFollow-up - LDL (mg/dL)72.4 mg/dLStandard Deviation 21.6
PlaceboEffect of HCQ on Fasting Low Density LipoproteinBaseline - LDL (mg/dL)92.8 mg/dLStandard Deviation 26.2
PlaceboEffect of HCQ on Fasting Low Density LipoproteinFollow-up - LDL (mg/dL)87.7 mg/dLStandard Deviation 23.8

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