Pilot Study of Pioglitazone for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Asthma in Obese Asthmatics

Exclusion Criteria

• •Systemic steroids within the past 4 weeks
• •Lung pathology other than asthma
• •Other significant non-pulmonary co-morbidities such as: coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction \<50%, liver disease or elevated liver enzymes at baseline, malignancy (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers), AIDS, renal failure with serum creatinine \>3.0, or disorders requiring steroid treatment such as vasculitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis
• •B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) \>400 pg/mL
• •Pregnant or lactating
• •Currently taking a beta blocker, a CYP2C8 inhibitor or inducer such as gemfibrozil or rifampin, a TZD (thiazolidinedione), or allergic to TZD
• •Taking antioxidants or nutritional supplements (stable dose of calcium, vitamin D, or multivitamin is OK)
• •Illicit drug use within the past year
• •Current/active upper respiratory infection (if active URI, wait until asymptomatic for 1 week to enroll)
• •Asthma exacerbation within the past 4 weeks (includes ER, urgent care, or hospital visits due to asthma resulting in an increase in asthma-related medications)
• •Undergoing evaluation for sleep apnea, or plans to institute treatment for sleep apnea (patients on a stable treatment regimen for sleep apnea for the last 3 months will be allowed to participate)
• •Clinically significant abnormalities present on screening 12-lead electrocardiogram
• •Women of childbearing potential using oral contraceptives who are not willing to use a second method of contraception during the study