Interventional, Placebo controlled cross-over study to investigate the short-term effects of glucocorticoids (prednisone) on human brown adipose tissue.
Active brown adipose tissue (BAT) has recently been unambiguously discovered in human adults. Active BAT increases energy expenditure and improves glucose tolerance. Pharmacological use of glucocorticoids (GCs) is widespread in clinical practice due to their high anti-inflammatory efficacy. While short-term administration even of high doses usually is well tolerated, long-term use of medium to high amounts of GCs leads to unfavorable metabolic changes, characterized by an increase in intra-abdominal fat mass, a decrease in muscle mass and insulin resistance. In line with these well-known side-effects of GCs, several in vitro studies and animal models demonstrate an inhibiting effect of GCs on BAT thermogenesis.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
16
2 tablets of Prednisone 20 Mg in the morning
2 Placebo tablets in the morning
University Hospital Basel, Department of Endocrinology
Basel, Canton of Basel-City, Switzerland
Cold induced thermogenesis
: Increase in energy expenditure above resting metabolic rate in response to a mild cold stimulus determined by indirect calorimetry
Time frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
fat fraction of supraclavicular BAT
determined by MRI
Time frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
volume of supraclavicular BAT
determined by MRI
Time frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
cold stimulated FGD uptake in brown adipose tissue
determined as SUVmean by FDG-PET/CT
Time frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
SUVmax in the supraclavicular adipose tissue depot
determined by FDG-PET/CT
Time frame: at the end of each treatment period (day 7). Prednisone vs. Placebo
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