Can a diabetes drug and diet stop kidney stones?
NCT ID NCT04370093
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tested whether the diabetes drug pioglitazone, weight loss, or both can help prevent uric acid kidney stones in overweight people. Twenty-nine participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups for 24 weeks. The main goal was to see if these interventions could raise urine pH, which is key to stopping stone formation.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Pioglitazone (a diabetes drug) and weight loss through a lifestyle program
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point to a new way to prevent uric acid kidney stones by combining medication and weight loss.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 29 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Pioglitazone can cause side effects like swelling and liver issues.
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 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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29 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2019
- Finished
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May 2025
- 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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21 to 99 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: Idiopathic uric acid nephrolithiasis, with last stone analysis showing that stone has \>90% uric acid in composition Age \>21 years Any gender, race/ethnicity (from weight loss), but weight \<165 Kg (to fit into MR instrument); eGFR\>60ml/min/1.73 m2 Exclusion Criteria: Bariatric surgery, chronic diarrhea, recurrent UTIs current insulin use use of a thiazolidinedione in past 2 years contraindication to thiazolidinedione use (liver dz, pedal edema, CHF NYHA class III/IV, no contraception) Bladder cancer Use of SGLT2-i, GLP-1 analogs, gemfibrozil, topiramate, rifampin Hba1c \> 8.5%
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, 75390-9107, United States