Scientists track prednisolone levels to improve dosing for inflammatory conditions

NCT ID NCT05012033

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study is measuring prednisolone levels in 120 people with inflammatory diseases like thyroid eye disease, vasculitis, COPD, asthma, and others. Participants take high-dose prednisolone as part of their routine care, and researchers take timed blood samples to see how the drug behaves in acute versus long-term use. The goal is to better understand differences in drug processing and metabolism, which could help guide safer and more effective dosing in the future.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
prednisolone
What this could lead to
If successful, this study could help doctors better dose prednisolone for inflammatory conditions, potentially improving treatment safety and effectiveness.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage observational study, not a treatment trial. It may not lead to any changes in clinical practice, and results may not apply to all patients.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Apr 2023

Expected to finish

Dec 2030

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Patients receiving high dose prednisolone for any inflammatory disorder.

Ages

18 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 - 75 years * Male or female * Participants who are otherwise healthy enough to participate, as determined by pre-study medical history * Participants who are able and willing to give written informed consent to participate in the study * Group A only: Patients requiring acute (\<5 days) high dose (minimum 30mg) oral prednisolone therapy for antiinflammatory purposes in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. * Group B only: Minimum of 1 month duration of high dose prednisolone (\>30mg) if in the chronic use group. * Group C only: Patients started on high dose methylprednisolone (\>3 day course) or prolonged courses of dexamethasone. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants with a diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. * Unable to give informed consent. * Taking supplements or herbal medications that the participant is unwilling or unable to stop prior to and during the study period e.g. St John's Wort (may decrease prednisolone levels), Cat's claw, Echinacea (immunomodulatory properties). * Currently taking medications that alter CYP3A4 metabolism of glucocorticoids that the participant is unwilling or unable to stop prior to and during the study period e.g. phenytoin, phenobarbital, rifampicin, rifabutin, carbamazepine, primidone, aminogluethimide, itraconazole, ketoconazole, ciclosporin or ritonavir. * Pregnancy. Females of child-bearing age will be asked to provide a urine sample for a pregnancy test at each visit. * History of any medical, psychological or other condition, or use of any medications, including over-the-counter products, which, in the opinion of the investigators, would either interfere with the study or compromise the safety of the participant.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

    RECRUITING

    London, United Kingdom

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