By Thomas S. May
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- April 25, 2007 -- Sibutramine effectively reduces food intake by slowing down the rate of eating without extending meal length, indicate results of a placebo-controlled crossover study.
The research, presented here on April 24th at the 15th European Congress on Obesity (ECO), is the first to show a significant effect on both food intake and appetite at the 10-mg dose after only seven days in obese subjects, said lead author Jason Halford, MD, director, Kissileff Human Ingestive Behaviour Laboratory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
"Previous studies used higher doses, or were in lean participants, or failed to show significant effects on indices of satiety such as appetite ratings," Dr. Halford noted.
The present study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study that investigated the effects of a seven-day course of sibutramine at doses of 10 mg or 15 mg daily on appetite and energy balance in 32 obese women.
Patients were evaluated using indirect calorimetry, as well as the Universal Eating Monitor (UEM), a computerised monitor of food intake and feeding behaviour. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 34.9 kg/m2, and mean age was 46.3 years.
The investigators found that the two doses of sibutramine reduced food intake by 16.6% and 22.3%, respectively (P <.001).
Analysis of meal microstructure showed that sibutramine reduced eating rate rather than meal length (P =.011 for the 10 mg dose, and P <.001 for the 15 mg dose). Additionally, 10 mg of sibutramine significantly reduced hunger later in the meal (P =.043), while the 15 mg dose increased fullness early on in the meal (P =.004).
"I think these data demonstrate that sibutramine selectivity affects eating behaviour, enhancing within-meal satiation," Dr. Halford concluded.
"It is important to demonstrate the mechanism of action of the prescribed doses in a clinical population, and to date this has not be done [in other studies]," he added.
The study was funded by the University of Liverpool through MerseyBio and the School of Psychology and the Faculty of Medicine, in association with the Liverpool Obesity Research Network (LORN).
The study drug and placebo were provided by Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturers of sibutramine.
[Presentation title: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study to Quantify the Effects of Sibutramine on Energy Intake and Energy Expenditure in Obese Subjects During a Test Meal Using a Universal Eating Monitor (UEM) Method. Abstract T3:PO.188]
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