Effect of gliclazide on plasma lipids and pancreatic beta cell function in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Eighteen patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), who were newly diagnosed or had their oral hypoglycemic agents discontinued for more than 3 months, were studied to evaluate the effect of gliclazide on glycemic control, plasma lipids and beta cell function. The mean fasting plasma glucose (249 +/- 11 vs 170 +/- 10 mg/dl, p < 0.001), postprandial plasma glucose (353 +/- 16 vs 237 +/- 16 mg/dl, p < 0.001) and HbA1C (9.6 +/- 0.4 vs 6.5 +/- 0.3% p < 0.001) decreased significantly after 3-months of gliclazide treatment. The beta cell function showed a significant increase in fasting serum C-peptide (1.8 +/- 0.2 vs 2.1 +/- 0.3 ng/ml, p < 0.05) and an insignificant increment in serum C-peptide after glucagon stimulation (2.2 +/- 0.3 vs 2.2 +/- 0.4 ng/ml, p < 0.1). In 8 cases with an initial serum cholesterol above 200 mg/dl, the serum cholesterol decreased significantly (236 +/- 8 vs 200 +/- 12 mg/dl, p < 0.05). However, LDL-cholesterol (164 +/- 8 vs 145 +/- 13 mg, p > 0.05) and HDL-cholesterol (66 +/- 5 vs 54 +/- 9 mg, p > 0.05) showed insignificant decrease after gliclazide therapy. In 4 patients with hypertriglyceridemia, the serum triglyceride decreased (441 +/- 161 vs 239 +/- 73 mg/dl, p > 0.1), but this was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that hyperglycemia, fasting serum C-peptide levels and hypercholesteremia are significantly improved after a 3-month period of gliclazide therapy in NIDDM patients.