Scales and tape measure
SEESAW – SGLT-2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin Effects on Appetite and Weight Regulation
Principal Investigator: Professor Melanie Davies
Type 2 diabetes is very closely associated with weight, with over 90 per cent of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics above their ideal weight.
Losing some weight could both prevent high risk individuals from developing diabetes, and help patients to better manage their condition if they have already been diagnosed with diabetes.
One way to help type 2 diabetics lose weight is through a class of drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors, which have been shown to improve diabetes control and reduce weight effectively. An example of an SGLT-2 inhibitor is Empagliflozin (Jardiance™). They work by increasing the amount of sugar in the urine, which helps to lower the amount of blood glucose in the body. Glucose lost in the urine is in the form of calories, and this results in weight loss over a few months of treatment. However, the weight loss seen in people taking Empagliflozin (Jardiance™) is less than researchers would expect considering the amount of calories that are being lost as glucose in the urine. It is believed that this discrepancy may be due to how Empagliflozin (Jardiance™) affects appetite.
The SEESAW study will compare a number of different appetite hormones and any weight changes in participants who are given Empagliflozin (Jardiance™) compared to participants who are given a dummy drug (known as a ‘placebo’). The study is also interested in finding out the effect of being on a low calorie diet in addition to taking these drugs. The study is suitable for male and postmenopausal female participants with type 2 diabetes who are not on any other diabetes medications except metformin.
For more information about the SEESAW study, please contact LDC.trials@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or call 0116 258 6439.