posted 11/14/02
Significant Improvement Seen in a Leading
Indicator Of Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes patients taking the insulin sensitizer pioglitazone HCl in combination
with metformin experienced significantly greater improvement in triglyceride
levels than patients taking rosiglitazone and metformin, according to the
results of a new multi-center, retrospective study being presented last week at
the 193rd Meeting of the Society for Endocrinology in London.
Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to
heart disease and stroke, and an elevated triglyceride level is a leading risk
factor associated with these conditions.
Results from this retrospective review -- Impact of Pioglitazone and
Rosiglitazone on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease, or IMPROVE -- showed
that patients treated with pioglitazone and metformin experienced a
statistically significant 19.8 percent decline from baseline in their
triglyceride levels, while those taking the rosiglitazone/metformin combination
had a 10.8 percent increase in triglyceride levels over the same period. Blood
sugar levels decreased in a similar manner for both study groups.
"These findings are particularly significant because of the link between
diabetes and cardiovascular disease," said Anne Peters Harmel, MD, one of the
authors of the study and Professor of Clinical Medicine, Keck School of
Medicine, University of Southern California. "Diabetes dramatically increases a
person's risk for heart disease and stroke, and it is important that we learn
which therapies can potentially minimize that risk by improving clinical risk
factors for cardiovascular disease."
The IMPROVE study, conducted by Health Economics Research, was based on a
national, multi-center, retrospective chart review of 193 similar patients with
type 2 diabetes, drawn from 318 endocrinology practices across the U.S.
Ninety-seven patients received the combination pioglitazone and metformin and 96
patients received the combination rosiglitazone and metformin.
Only patients in the pioglitazone-metformin group experienced a drop in
triglyceride levels. Triglycerides dropped a statistically significant 19.8
percent from baseline in the pioglitazone-metformin group, while those in the
rosiglitazone-metformin group increased by 10.8 percent. In addition, study
results showed combination therapy with pioglitazone significantly improved
lipid profiles by increasing mean HDL ("good") cholesterol by 7 percent from
baseline. Among patients receiving combination therapy with rosiglitazone, the
increase in mean HDL cholesterol was not significant. Declines in blood sugar
did not differ between the study groups.
"It is vitally important to manage not only the blood sugar levels of diabetes
patients, but clinical risk factors for cardiovascular disease as well,
including high cholesterol and triglyceride levels," said Albert Marchetti, MD,
Vice President and Director of Medical Research for the Professional
Postgraduate Services division of Health Economics Research. "Pioglitazone in
combination with metformin appears to help patients realize greater lipid
improvement, which in turn, may help patients minimize their risk for
cardiovascular disease."
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Dom.
Home - Table of Contents - Donate Now - About Diabetes - Warning Signs - Complications - Screening Test - Diabetes Terms - Site Search - Meet Mr. Diabetes® - Wake Up And Walk® Tour - Latest News - Headlines & News Stories - Health & Fitness - About Us - FAQ - Research Form - - Message Board - Privacy Policy - Legal Notices - How to Contact Us - Comments form - Suggestion Form - Our E-Mail Addresses - Our Address and Phone Numbers - Links - Contact Us