GLPwatch

Once Weekly GLP-1 in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury

NCT03292315 · Completed

Last updated 2026-05-28

This clinical trial is testing a once-weekly GLP-1 medication in adults with spinal cord injuries to see how it affects body weight.

Status Completed The study has finished.
Phase Phase 4 Monitors a drug already on the market.
Type Interventional (clinical trial)
Design Randomized, open-label (no blinding) treatment study
Participants 5 people
Who can join Ages 18–69 · all sexes
Timeline Started 2018-10 · est. completion 2023-03
Where 1 site · United States

What this study is testing ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03292315 ↗

Description as written by the study sponsor.

Chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in adverse soft tissue body composition changes and an extremely sedentary lifestyle. These abrupt changes often lead to a high prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases, such as impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, conditions which predispose those with SCI to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. Due to paralysis and wheel chair dependence, maintaining an adequate level of physical activity to counteract these deleterious metabolic changes presents a unique obstacle because conventional first line interventions are lifestyle modifications (e.g., diet and exercise), which may be difficult to achieve. Recently, a new medication has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to improve glycemic control in individuals with diabetes mellitus, and it has also been investigated as an off-label treatment to induce weight loss. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are a class of drugs designed to mimic the endogenous incretin hormones released from the gut in a glucose dependent manner following a meal. The mechanisms of action for this drug class of medications include stimulation of glucose-dependent insulin secretion, inhibiting glucagon release, slowed gastric emptying, and reduction of postprandial glucose excursions following food intake. In addition to improved glycemic control, this class of medications also shows promise for its non-glycemic action of facilitating weight loss. The method of delivery of the GLP-1's is by self-administered injections once daily or once weekly, depending on the severity of the clinical case and therapeutic targets for a specific patient.

Treatments tested

Main thing measuredBody Weight
SponsorJames J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Conditions studiedSpinal Cord Injuries, Insulin Resistance, Pre Diabetes, Obesity
GLP-1 drugs

Full protocol, eligibility, and contacts on ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03292315 ↗