OverweightNCT00974415
Study of the Carbon Dioxide Treatment for Fat Reduction
A study testing CO2 in people with Overweight, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the carbon dioxide for subcutaneous fat reduction. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Overweight
- What is being tested?
- CO2
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 25 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jan 2010to 1 Mar 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Male or female subject ages ≥ 18 years old
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-24.99. (BMI is defined as weight in pounds multiplied by 703 divided by the square of the height in inches).
- Subject in good health
- Willing and able to abstain from partaking in any treatment other than the study procedure (existing or new) to promote body contouring and/or weight loss during the course of study participation.
- Subject agrees to maintain their weight (i.e. within 5 pounds) by not making any changes to diet or lifestyle during the study.
- The subject has the willingness and the ability to understand and provide informed consent for the use of their tissue and communicate with the investigator
Who cannot join
- Pregnant or lactating or intends to become pregnant in the next 9 months.
- Unable to understand the protocol or to give informed consent
- Any previous and/or pending procedures at the treatment area or that may likely affect the treatment area
- Pending and/or anticipated major change in diet or exercise pattern in the six weeks following the last treatment or who has taken diet pills within the last 6 months.
- History of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
- Active skin disease or skin infection in the treatment area
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- Bleeding tendency or coagulopathy
- Subject who are allergic to lidocaine
- Any other condition that would, in the professional opinion of the investigator, potentially affect response or participation in the clinical study, or would pose as an unacceptable risk to the subject
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Pilot Study of the Carbon Dioxide Treatment for Fat Reduction
The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the carbon dioxide for subcutaneous fat reduction.
- Conditions
- Overweight
- Being tested
- CO2, Sham
- Keywords
- BMI classification-overweight
- Medical subject headings
- Overweight
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
CO2Procedure or surgery
CO2 treatment delivered to randomized flank at each study visit
ShamProcedure or surgery
Sham treatment to other flank at each study visit
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| treatment | Experimental | CO2 treatment Receives: Procedure: CO2 |
| sham | Sham comparator | sham treatment Receives: Procedure: Sham |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Reduction of flank circumference
Measured: 6 months
Secondary outcomes (3)
10-point pain visual analog scale
Measured: 4 weeks
Any adverse events
Measured: 6 months
Patient satisfaction, determined by using patient satisfaction questionnaires.
Measured: 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Sep 2009 (estimated)
- Study startJan 2010
- Primary completion1 Mar 2022
- Study completion1 Mar 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for OverweightStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Northwestern UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 25 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Murad Alam, Northwestern University
- Investigators
- Murad Alam, MD, Principal investigator, Northwestern University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00974415
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STU11387
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Sep 2009
- Last updated
- 1 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Pilot Study of the Carbon Dioxide Treatment for Fat Reduction
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00974415
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STU11387
- Conditions
- Overweight
- Keywords
- BMI classification-overweight
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 25 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jan 2010
- Primary completion
- 1 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Mar 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 10 Sep 2009 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the carbon dioxide for subcutaneous fat reduction.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| treatment | Experimental | Procedure: CO2CO2 treatment |
| sham | Sham comparator | Procedure: Shamsham treatment |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Male or female subject ages ≥ 18 years old
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-24.99. (BMI is defined as weight in pounds multiplied by 703 divided by the square of the height in inches).
- Subject in good health
- Willing and able to abstain from partaking in any treatment other than the study procedure (existing or new) to promote body contouring and/or weight loss during the course of study participation.
- Subject agrees to maintain their weight (i.e. within 5 pounds) by not making any changes to diet or lifestyle during the study.
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Pregnant or lactating or intends to become pregnant in the next 9 months.
- Unable to understand the protocol or to give informed consent
- Any previous and/or pending procedures at the treatment area or that may likely affect the treatment area
- Pending and/or anticipated major change in diet or exercise pattern in the six weeks following the last treatment or who has taken diet pills within the last 6 months.
- History of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| CO2CO2 treatment delivered to randomized flank at each study visit | Procedure or surgery | treatment |
| ShamSham treatment to other flank at each study visit | Procedure or surgery | sham |
Primary outcome
Reduction of flank circumference
Time frame: 6 months
3 secondary outcomes
10-point pain visual analog scale
Time frame: 4 weeks
Any adverse events
Time frame: 6 months
Patient satisfaction, determined by using patient satisfaction questionnaires.
Time frame: 6 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Jul 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Murad Alam, MD principal investigator
Northwestern University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing CO2 in people with Overweight, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Reduction of flank circumference (time frame: 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Jul 2026.