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High Dose Insulin Therapy to Improve Liver Function

NCT01271140 · Status: UNKNOWN · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 5

Last updated 2013-11-13

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Insulin resistance is one of the key factors in defining a progressive course of chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and hepatic fibrosis. Multiple trials have targeted insulin resistance as an adjuvant way to manage hepatitis C liver disease with promising results.

Long term therapy using high dose insulin was shown to significantly reduce insulin resistance in obese patients. In cardiac and critically ill patients, long term insulin was shown to produce better outcomes mainly by reducing the overt inflammatory response. Furthermore, initial results of ongoing trials are revealing more benefits of insulin therapy. Using the (hyperinsulinimic normoglycemic clamp) for eight hours on patients undergoing major liver resection was able to maximize their liver function post-operatively. This trial also demonstrated inhibition of the inflammatory response, improvement in liver glycogen, inhibition of apoptosis and stimulation of liver regeneration.

Putting in mind the potential ability of the liver to regenerate and regain better function. The anti-inflammatory properties of insulin therapy along with its ability to reduce insulin resistance over time has led us to see the potential benefits of using insulin therapy on patients with chronic hepatitis C virus liver cirrhosis. Insulin will target the pathophysiology of the disease at a cellular and a molecular level.

The investigators theorize that long-term high insulin therapy would be able to promote better liver function and slow down fibrosis and injury in this population of patients.

Conditions

  • Hepatitis C Virus

Interventions

DRUG

Insulin

Intravenous insulin clamp at a rate of 2 mlu/kg/hr. In adition a titrating dose of 20% dextrose aiming to a blood glucose level of 4 - 5.5 mmol/l.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Peter Metrakos, MD · McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2011-01-31
Primary Completion
2013-12-31
Completion
2014-06-30

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

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Entities

Drugs

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01271140 on ClinicalTrials.gov