Combat-JUDO (Combating Juvenile Diabetes and Obesity through normalization of beta-cell function) is part of a collaborative project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission aiming to develop innovative therapeutic strategies by increasing pharmacology-based alternatives targeting insulin hypersecretion for the treatment of young obese individuals. The prevalence of childhood obesity is ranging between 5-25% in Europe. The reason behind these alarming figures is mostly a changing environment with a more sedative lifestyle and supply of excess food. However, specific gene mutations have also been linked to obesity and new genes are continuously being discovered. There are very few effective means of intervention in children with obesity available today. Obesity is closely associated with a number of related metabolic diseases and some children with obesity develop the metabolic syndrome at an early stage in life. Individuals with obesity have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and with the current increase in childhood obesity, some children will develop T2DM already in their adolescent years with huge impact on their long-term health and life expectancy. Lifestyle modification interventions, including behavioural treatment, diet modification and physical activity, are cornerstones of primary and secondary prevention/treatment of pediatric obesity today. Exenatide is a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist approved for use in adults with T2DM to improve glycemic control. A pilot study with exenatide treatment in non-diabetic children and adolescents with severe obesity showed a reduced BMI of approximately 5% and improved markers of insulin resistance and β-cell function were observed. The Combat-JUDO study is a parallel, double-blind, randomized study comparing lifestyle intervention + exenatide 2 mg vs lifestyle and intervention + placebo in adolescents with obesity. The lifestyle intervention includes regular nutritional and psychological support at 4 occasions during the study as well as physical activity on a weekly basis. Exenatide/placebo is given as a subcutaneous injection once weekly for 24 weeks. The primary objective of the study is to compare the change in BMI-SDS (according to WHO) from baseline to the 6 months visit between the two treatment arms. The study includes males and females of age 10-18 years and 5 months with BMI SDS \>2.0 or age-adapted BMI \>30 kg/m2.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
44
Department of Pediatrics, Salzburg State Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University
Salzburg, Austria
Uppsala University Hospital
Uppsala, Sweden
BMI SDS (Body Mass Index Standard Deviation Score)
The primary objective is to compare the change from baseline to the 6 months visit, between lifestyle intervention + exenatide 2 mg once weekly and lifestyle intervention + placebo, in BMI SDS (according to WHO) for adolescents with obesity.
Time frame: 6 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.