Salsalate for Insulin Resistance in Schizophrenia

Summary

Being obese is a common problem for people with schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia are more likely to be overweight compared to the general population. Being overweight is a major risk factor for developing type II diabetes. Approximately 15% of people with schizophrenia have type II diabetes. People with type II diabetes have problems with their body's insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the body to control blood sugar level. Obesity and type II diabetes are strong risk factors for heart disease. In type II diabetes the body does not respond to insulin correctly. Obesity, type II diabetes, and insulin resistance are all common states of inflammation. Inflammation is a reaction by the body to irritation, injury, or infection.

Salicylates are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin is an example of a salicylate. These drugs work by decreasing the level of inflammation in the body. Salicylates have been shown to decrease inflammation and improve the body's response to insulin. Improving the body's response to insulin and decreasing inflammation could possibly reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes. Salicylates have been known for years to be effective for the treatment of diabetes. Salicylates increase the body's response to insulin causing blood sugar levels to decrease. Many salicylate drugs have side effects including stomach irritation and increased risk of bleeding. The drug for this study is called salsalate and is different from other salicylates. Salsalate has a lower bleeding risk than aspirin. Salsalate has been used to treat arthritis and has been shown to be safe.

There have been no studies using salsalate in people with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study is to gain experience in the use of salsalate in people with schizophrenia. The study would be a pilot study to obtain preliminary data. The study would be a 6-week study where everyone in the study would receive the drug salsalate. The participants in the study will have tests of baseline symptoms of schizophrenia, a physical exam, EKG (to check heart function), and a side effect checklist for possible side effects from salsalate. The study will also have some blood drawn to measure blood sugar levels, insulin levels, and inflammatory markers.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia
• Insulin Resistance

Interventions

DRUG

salsalate

Salsalate will be administered in 500 mg tablets. Salsalate will be administered in two divided doses of 2 grams in the morning and 2 grams in the evening. Salsalate will be administered for a total of 6 weeks. If a participant is not able to tolerate the target dose of 4 grams per day then 500 mg reductions will be made in a stepwise fashion until tolerated or a minimum dose of 2 grams per day is achieved.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• US Department of Veterans Affairs

  collaborator FED

• University of Maryland, Baltimore

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Robert W Buchanan, MD · University of Maryland School of Medicine Maryland Psychiatric Research Center

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2010-08-31

Primary Completion

2011-11-30

Completion

2011-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations