Antidiabetic treatment: Though lovers be lost, love shall not

Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes on Conventional Versus Intensive Insulin Therapy: Efficacy of Low-Calorie Dietary Intervention

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the results of a standard low-calorie dietary intervention (7.5 MJ/day) on body weight (BW) and the metabolic profile of obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on intensive insulin therapy (IIT: 4 insulin injections/day) versus conventional insulin therapy (CIT: 2/3 insulin injections/day).

METHODS

A total of 60 patients (n = 60, 23 males and 37 postmenopausal females) were recruited and categorized into two groups according to the scheme of insulin treatment. Thirty were on IIT (13 males and 17 females) and an equal number on CIT (10 males and 20 females). BW, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, and metabolic parameters were compared at 6 and 12 months after baseline.

RESULTS

Significant reductions were observed in the BW, BMI, HbA1c (p ≤ 0.001 for all) and cholesterol (p ≤ 0.05) at 6 months post-intervention. At 1 year, median BW reduction was 4.5 kg (3.3, 5.8) for patients on IIT and 4.8 kg (3.6, 7.0) for those on CIT. The 12-month dietary intervention increased prevalence of normoglycemia in the IIT group and reduced the prevalence of obesity prevalence among the CIT participants (all p < 0.001). CIT patients with BW reduction ≥5.0% demonstrated 11-fold greater chances of being normoglycemic (odds ratio 11.3, 95% CI 1.1-110.5). BW reduction ≥7.0% was associated with CIT, being overweight, and having normal HDLc, LDLc, and cholesterol levels. A reduction in BW between 5.0% and 6.9% was associated with IIT, normoglycemia, and obesity.

CONCLUSION

A 12-month 1800-kcal dietary intervention achieved significant BW and HbA1c reductions irrespectively of insulin regimen. CIT was associated with BW reduction greater than 8.0%, whereas IIT was associated with higher rates of normoglycemia.

Effects of oral hypoglycemic agents on platelet function

Platelet dysfunction plays a role in diabetic macrovascular complications. Several studies have assessed the effect of oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) on platelet function. Data from both in vivo and in vitro studies show a favorable effect for most of the traditional glucose-lowering therapies, while evidence is limited for the newer ones. Metformin, sulfonylureas, glitazones and acarbose exert a favorable effect on platelet function. Among incretin therapies, only sitagliptin has so far been demonstrated to have a beneficial effect on platelet aggregation. More in vivo and in vitro evidence is required to increase our knowledge on any potential beneficial effects of OHAs on platelet function. Any such effect may have implications for the reduction of cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus.