Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic Pancreatitis. Effects of Pioglitazone on Endocrine Function, Quality of Life, and Exocrine Function & Structure
Study Description
The purpose of this study is to determine if study drug will improve pre-diabetes (insulin resistance) and improve clinical symptoms or laboratory evidence of chronic pancreatitis due to alcohol, the most common cause. The investigators goal is to gather information from this study to help gain understanding of a potential therapy for chronic pancreatitis. The pancreas is a digestive organ that secretes insulin (and other hormones) into the blood for regulating blood sugar (glucose) and digestive enzymes into the intestine for digesting and absorbing nutrients consumed in meals. Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive clinical disease of the pancreas, associated with swelling (inflammation), scarring (fibrosis) and loss of normal functioning tissue. Patients develop diabetes mellitus (elevated blood sugar), malabsorption of nutrients, weight loss and pain. Presently chronic pancreatitis is considered an irreversible condition because the mechanisms responsible for chronic pancreatitis are poorly understood and no therapy is proven. However, recent studies provide important clues that oral medications (Thiazolidinediones) used to treat diabetes mellitus might improve or reverse features of chronic pancreatitis, including elevated sugar or diabetes, reduced secretion of digestive enzymes, and pancreatic swelling and scarring.
Eligibility:
- Age Range: From 18 to 70 years
- Gender: Male & Female
- Ethnicity: All
- Race: All
- Smoking: Both Smoking and Non-Smoking Volunteers
- Medication: No Restriction
- This study is seeking: both healthy subjects and patients with specified condition
- Other Eligibility Factors:
- Absence of diabetes mellitus
- Elevated fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance
- Normal stool fat levels
- Sobriety at least 2 months
- X-ray test showing chronic damage to the pancreas.
Location of Study Visits: Ann Arbor
Principal Invesitgator: Matthew J DiMagno, MD
Questions or referrals: please contact Michelle Atkinson: (734) 615-6723 or michcast@umich.edu.
