Could a drug for alcoholism tame arthritis inflammation?
NCT ID NCT07534332
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This phase 2 trial tests whether disulfiram, a drug already approved for alcohol use disorder, can safely reduce joint inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis who are overweight. Twenty adults with active arthritis despite standard treatment will take either disulfiram or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. The study focuses on safety and early signs of effectiveness.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Disulfiram
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new way to control inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, especially for patients who are overweight.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot trial with only 20 people, so results may not apply widely. Disulfiram can cause serious reactions if alcohol is consumed, and its benefit for arthritis is unproven.
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.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
- Ages
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18 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: Age 18-75 years Body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to ACR/EULAR classification criteria Active disease defined as Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) \>10 Stable disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy for ≥3 months prior to enrollment Willingness to abstain from alcohol for the duration of the study Ability and willingness to comply with study procedures \- Exclusion Criteria: Significant liver dysfunction (ALT or AST \>2.5× upper limit of normal) Current or recent alcohol dependence (based on screening, e.g., AUDIT) Known hypersensitivity to disulfiram or other thiuram derivatives Pregnancy or breastfeeding Severe cardiovascular disease (e.g., myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, coronary occlusion) Severe psychiatric illness (e.g., psychosis, suicidal ideation) Neurologic disorders (e.g., epilepsy, peripheral neuropathy, cerebral damage) Chronic or acute renal disease (e.g., nephritis) Hepatic cirrhosis or hepatic insufficiency Use of contraindicated medications (e.g., metronidazole, phenytoin, paraldehyde, alcohol-containing preparations, warfarin) Other autoimmune diseases or active/chronic infections Diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism Allergy to topical iodine Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would pose undue risk or interfere with study participation
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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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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University of Oklahoma Health Campus
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States
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