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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 3INTERVENTIONAL

Metformin Alleviates Abnormal Glucose Metabolism Induced by Statins in Schizophrenia Patients

Metformin Alleviates Abnormal Glucose Metabolism Induced by Statins in Schizophrenia Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Clinical Study

Metformin Alleviates Abnormal Glucose Metabolism Induced by Statins in Schizophrenia Patients (NCT07045142) is a Phase 3 interventional studying Schizophrenia, sponsored by Central South University. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness associated with significant morbidity and disability. Patients often experience metabolic side effects from antipsychotic medications, including weight gain and dyslipidemia. Statins, commonly used to manage dyslipidemia, can lower cholesterol levels but may increase the risk of new-onset diabetes. This study aims to investigate how atorvastatin affects glucose metabolism in schizophrenia patients and assess whether metformin can help improve these metabolic issues. The investigators will include 200 patients with dyslipidemia from the Second Xiangya Hospital and other sites, randomly assigning them to receive either atorvastatin with metformin or atorvastatin with placebo over six months. Key goals include evaluating the impact of atorvastatin on insulin resistance and blood glucose levels and determining the effectiveness of metformin in mitigating glucose metabolism abnormalities while managing lipid levels. Understanding these interactions will help improve treatment strategies for schizophrenia patients, potentially lowering their risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes and enhancing overall health outcomes.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 3 trials confirm efficacy and safety in large patient groups (often 300–3,000+) and form the evidence base for an FDA approval submission. For Schizophrenia, Phase 3 studies typically randomize participants between the investigational treatment and either a placebo or current standard of care. A successful Phase 3 result is the threshold most treatments need to clear before regulatory approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

A target enrollment of 400 participants makes this a sizable late-stage trial. Studies in this range typically have enough power to detect clinically meaningful differences from a comparator and to characterize less-common side effects.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Aged between 18 and 65 years, regardless of gender, and meets the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5); 2. Symptoms and medication regimen stable for more than 3 months, with the allowance of up to two antipsychotic medications in combination (concurrent use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and mood stabilizers is permitted); 3. Temporary use of benzodiazepines is allowed; 4. Meets at least one of the following conditions: fasting total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 5.2 mmol/L; fasting triglycerides (TG) ≥ 1.7 mmol/L; fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥ 3.4 mmol/L; 5. Two fasting blood glucose (FPG) tests must be \< 6.1 mmol/L (with an interval of 1-4 weeks); 6. It is anticipated that there will be no issues related to relocation, transportation difficulties, or access to medical care throughout the study; 7. willing to sign a consent form must be obtained from the patient and their guardian, and a consent form must be signed. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: 1. Patients with a prior diagnosis of diabetes or complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis; 2. Patients with liver or kidney dysfunction, indicated by aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels exceeding twice the normal limits, and/or creatinine levels exceeding 1.2 times the upper limit of the reference range or greater than 2 mg/dL, or deemed by the investigator to have liver and/or kidney impairment that warrants exclusion from the study; ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion criteria: 1. Aged between 18 and 65 years, regardless of gender, and meets the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5); 2. Symptoms and medication regimen stable for more than 3 months, with the allowance of up to two antipsychotic medications in combination (concurrent use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and mood stabilizers is permitted); 3. Temporary use of benzodiazepines is allowed; 4. Meets at least one of the following conditions: fasting total cholesterol (TC) ≥ 5.2 mmol/L; fasting triglycerides (TG) ≥ 1.7 mmol/L; fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥ 3.4 mmol/L; 5. Two fasting blood glucose (FPG) tests must be \< 6.1 mmol/L (with an interval of 1-4 weeks); 6. It is anticipated that there will be no issues related to relocation, transportation difficulties, or access to medical care throughout the study; 7. Informed consent must be obtained from the patient and their guardian, and a consent form must be signed. Exclusion criteria: 1. Patients with a prior diagnosis of diabetes or complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis; 2. Patients with liver or kidney dysfunction, indicated by aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels exceeding twice the normal limits, and/or creatinine levels exceeding 1.2 times the upper limit of the reference range or greater than 2 mg/dL, or deemed by the investigator to have liver and/or kidney impairment that warrants exclusion from the study; 3. Patients with severe gastrointestinal, respiratory, endocrine, hematologic diseases, or metabolic absorption disorders: including but not limited to poorly controlled diabetes, severe acute systemic infections or immunological diseases, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accidents within the past year, history of prolonged QT interval, active hepatitis B virus, chronic active hepatitis C, and malabsorption syndromes; 4. Clinically significant abnormal ECG findings at screening that the investigator deems unsuitable for inclusion, such as male QTc interval \> 470 ms, female QTc interval \> 480 ms; 5. Pregnant or nursing women.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Atorvastatin

Participants will receive atorvastatin 20 mg daily.

DRUG

Metformin

Participants will receive metformin 1000 mg daily.

DRUG

Placebo

Participants will receive placebo 1000 mg daily, mimicking the appearance of metformin without containing active ingredients.

Locations (8)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Zhumadian Second People's Hospital
Zhumadian, Henan, China
Mental Health Institute of Second Xiangya Hospital, CSU
Changsha, Hunan, China
The Third Hospital of Changsha County
Changsha, Hunan, China
The Second People's Hospital of Xiangyin County
Yueyang, Hunan, China
Junshan District Psychiatric Rehabilitation Hospital
Yueyang, Hunan, China
Yueyang Rehabilitation Hospital
Yueyang, Hunan, China
The Second People's Hospital of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture
Dali, Yunnan, China
Xiangshan County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Medical and Health Group Three Hospitals District
Xiangshan, Zhejiang, China

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT07045142), the sponsor (Central South University), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT07045142 clinical trial studying?

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness associated with significant morbidity and disability. Patients often experience metabolic side effects from antipsychotic medications, including weight gain and dyslipidemia. Statins, commonly used to manage dyslipidemia, can lower cholesterol levels but may increase the risk of new-onset diabetes. This study aims to investigate how atorvastatin affects glucose metabolism in schizophrenia patients and assess whether metformin can help improve these metabolic issues. The investigators will include 200 patients with dyslipidemia from the Second Xiangya H… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT07045142?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT07045142?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT07045142. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT07045142. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.