A Phase 4 interventional study of GnRH antagonist and Estrogen Product in Menopause, Obesity, Abdominal and Aging, sponsored by University of Colorado, Denver. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 40 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-12-18.
Sponsored by University of Colorado, Denver · Phase 4, Interventional, and Basic science
The menopause transition is associated with increased risk for weight gain and a shift toward storing fat in the belly region, which may increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The study will determine whether the stress hormone cortisol contributes to this shift.
The menopause transition is associated with increased risk for weight gain and a shift toward storing fat in the belly region, which may increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The stress hormone cortisol is known to promote the accumulation of belly fat, and there is evidence that low estrogen is associated with higher cortisol levels. The first aim of the study is to determine whether low estrogen levels in premenopausal and early postmenopausal women increase cortisol levels in the blood and in fat tissue. When estrogen level decreases at the time of menopause, there is an increase in follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH. Recent evidence in mice suggests that blocking FSH prevents the increase in belly fat. The second aim of the study is to determine whether decreasing the high FSH level in postmenopausal women causes a decrease in belly fat and changes other factors that are typically thought to be related to estrogen rather than FSH. Because estrogen and FSH levels fluctuate in premenopausal and early postmenopausal women, the investigators will use an approach that controls estrogen and FSH levels to address the aims. The investigators will use a drug that is typically used to treat endometriosis or uterine fibroids to reduce estrogen and FSH levels and an estrogen patch to increase estrogen in some women. The study will generate new knowledge on how menopause affects fat gain and disease risk.
294 studies on the registry are indexed under Obesity, Abdominal; 45 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 57 is close to the median of 58 across 234 interventional studies indexed under Obesity, Abdominal.
Browse Obesity, Abdominal studies →University of Colorado, Denver is the lead sponsor of 1,543 studies on the registry; 317 are open to participants now.
Of its 147 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 92 (63%) have results posted.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Volunteers will be healthy peri/ women who are willing and able to undergo the proposed hormone manipulation and study procedures. Women will be at least 6 months but not more than 7 years past the last menstrual period (i.e., late perimenopausal or early postmenopausal) with FSH >30 IU/L. We will make a major effort to ensure that the women enrolled in this study come from all races and ethnicities and a wide range of socioeconomic and educational levels. Women will be excluded for the reasons listed below.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Postmenopausal
Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GnRH antagonist is degarelix acetate, 80 mg, delivered twice as a subcutaneous injection (at baseline and after 12 weeks) Estradiol is a transdermal patch 0.075 mg, applied weekly for 24 weeks
Drug: GnRH antagonist · Drug: Estrogen Product
GnRH antagonist is degarelix acetate, 80 mg, delivered twice as a subcutaneous injection (at baseline and after 12 weeks) Placebo is a transdermal patch, applied weekly for 24 weeks
Drug: GnRH antagonist · Drug: Placebo estradiol
Placebo (1) is normal saline, delivered twice as a subcutaneous injection (at baseline and after 12 weeks) Placebo (2) is a transdermal patch, applied weekly for 24 weeks
Drug: Placebo estradiol · Drug: Placebo GnRH antagonist
GnRH antagonist will be given once for premenopausal women (12-week intervention) and twice for postmenopausal women (24-week intervention)
Also known as: Degarelix Acetate
Estrogen patches will be worn by those randomized to the Estradiol arms in both premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Patches will be applied weekly and will be worn for the for entirety of the intervention (12 or 24 weeks).
Also known as: Estrogen transdermal patch
Placebo patches will be worn by those randomized to the placebo arms in both premenopausal and postmenopausal groups. Patches will be applied weekly and will be worn for the for entirety of the intervention (12 or 24 weeks).
Also known as: Placebo transdermal patch
Postmenopausal women randomized to the placebo injection arm will receive two placebo drug injections of normal saline (24-week intervention)
Also known as: Placebo injection
Change in the Microdialysis Cortisone Challenge (MCC) Index
The MCC Index is an in vivo measurement of local cortisol production in abdominal adipose tissue. A higher MCC Index is an indicator of more local cortisol production.
Time frame: Baseline, week 12
Change in the Oral Cortisone Challenge (OCC) Area Under the Curve (AUC)
The OCC AUC is a systemic measurement of peripheral glucocorticoid metabolism. A higher OCC AUC is an indicator of more production of cortisol.
Time frame: Baseline, week 12
Change in lumbar spine Bone Mineral Density (BMD)
Lumbar spine BMD is measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. A higher BMD is a general indicator of less risk for osteoporosis.
Time frame: Baseline, week 24
Change in resting energy expenditure (REE)
REE is an index of metabolic rate at rest, measured by indirect calorimetry. A higher REE is an indicator of greater energy expenditure at rest.
Time frame: Baseline, week 12, week 24
Change in visceral fat area (VFA)
VFA of the abdominal visceral region is measured by computed tomography. VFA is an indicator of the amount of fat stored in this region.
Time frame: Baseline, week 24
Change in flow-mediated dilation (FMD)
FMD of the brachial artery as an index of vascular function. A higher number is a general indicator of better vascular function.
Time frame: Baseline, week 12, week 24
Change in proximal femur Bone Mineral Density (BMD)
Proximal femur BMD is measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. A higher BMD is a general indicator of less risk for osteoporosis.
Time frame: Baseline, week 24
Plan to share: No
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Started Sep 2019 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Aug 2024, 59 months after the start.
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Studies of the drugs tested here: Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist · Estrogens
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