Health Trials

About this trial

The purpose of the current exploratory clinical trial is to determine the effect of oral ingestion of metformin (OIM) in non-diabetic patients with chronic Achilles tendon pain. The trial has two aims; 1) to assess the effects of OIM treatment on tendon pain, and 2) to determine the effects of OIM capsules on tendon healing and repair. Twenty participants will be treated with metformin capsules for 16 weeks combined with a home exercise program. A comparison group of 20 participants will be treated with placebo tablets along with home exercise program.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Willing and able to provide informed consent for participation

Clinical diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy

Pain disability index score of between 20 - 70 points (0-100 scale VISA-A)

Sonopalpation tenderness with tendon thickening and/or loss of fibrillary architecture.

Disqualifiers

Any intervention (corticosteroids or other orthobiologic intervention as injection) to targeted tissue within the last 6 months.

Previous Achilles tendon surgery.

Known platelet abnormality or hematological disorder.

Presence of other conditions that might affect the functional scale of the indexed limb.

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Metformin
  • Placebo

Treatment groups

40 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups

Locations

1
University of Pittsburgh15213, PittsburghPennsylvania, United States

Sponsors and collaborators

James Wang

Lead sponsor

University of Pittsburgh

Sponsor institution

United States Department of Defense

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov