title: Changes of body weight and inflammatory markers after 12-week intervention trial: results of a double-blind, placebo-control pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low grade inflammation is a well-known characteristic in obese subjects. We investigated body weight changes and inflammatory markers after 12-week intervention trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six obese subjects were enrolled and 19 (13 men and 6 women) completed the study. Sibutramine is an FDA-approved drug for body weight control; therefore, we chose this drug as the standard treatment medication in this study. Patients were randomly allocated to receive an anti-inflammatory agent (Diacerein treatment group; n = 12) or placebo (n = 7) for 12 weeks. Anthropometry, body proportion by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and metabolic parameters at the beginning and end of study were measured and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment group had a tendency towards more reduction in anthropometry as compared to the placebo group, in body weight reduction (-7.0 kg vs. -4.6 kg), body mass index (-2.51 kg/m² vs. -1.59 kg/m²), and waist circumference (-7.3 cm vs. -4.4 cm). These reductions were not statistically significant. Changes in levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and adiponectin in the treatment group were more favorable than in the placebo group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This small pilot study showed no statistical difference for changes in anthropometry, and inflammatory markers between the two groups. Therefore, we could not find any additional effects of Diacerein on weight loss and inflammatory variables in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Ajou University School of Medicine, San 5 Woncheon-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 443-749, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Seok
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Sang-Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang-Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chan-Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Bom-Taeck
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Duck-Joo
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D000880:Anthraquinones; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C025292:diacerein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C058254:sibutramine