Chloroquine to Treat People With Metabolic Syndrome Aim2 (ARCH-MS) — ARCH-MS  

Clinical Trial Summary

Metabolic syndrome consists of a group of co-occuring conditions that increase an individual's risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of chloroquine, a protein-activation medication, at improving metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is one of the most common disorders in industrialized countries. It consists of abnormal serum lipids, glucose intolerance, elevated blood pressure, and central obesity in the setting of insulin resistance. The syndrome substantially increases the risk of developing diabetes and vascular disease, but there is no clear unifying approach to treat this disorder. In animals, activation of the protein ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) using the antimalarial drug chloroquine improves features of metabolic syndrome and decreases atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty plaque within arteries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of short-term treatment with low doses of chloroquine as a way of managing metabolic syndrome. Participants in this study will initially receive placebo for 3 weeks, followed by increasing doses of chloroquine in three, 3-week intervals. Following each 3-week treatment, participants will be admitted to the research center for one day. There will be a period of no active treatment for 5 to 7 weeks following each admission to the research center to allow recovery from the blood drawing of the clamp procedure before the start of the next treatment interval. ;

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Dyslipidemias
• Hypertension
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Metabolic Syndrome X
• Overweight
• Prediabetic State
• Syndrome