THE EFFECT OF AN ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITOR AND INSULIN ON GLUCOSE-METABOLISM AND LIPID PROFILES IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Studies were carried out to assess various ways of improving glycaemic control and lipid profiles of patients with noninsulin-dependent diab etes mellitus (NIDDM) in whom glucose metabolism was poor. Part or all of the dose of the sulphonylurea that had been used to treat patients in Group 1 (n = 8) was replaced by an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. Sy mptoms related to hypoglycaemia disappeared and the postprandial blood glucose level was significantly increased (P < 0.043) but serum lipid levels were not significantly altered and the mean glycosylated haemo globin level was unchanged. In Group 2 (n = 10) patients, a large part of the insulin dose was replaced by an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. H ypoglycaemia-related symptoms disappeared but there were no significan t changes in lipid profiles, postprandial blood glucose or glycosylate d haemoglobin levels. The third group of patients (n = 9) had been tre ated with insulin alone and were given additional alpha-glucosidase in hibitor without changing their insulin dose. This did not significantl y change their lipid profiles, postprandial blood glucose or glycosyla ted haemoglobin levels. In Group 4 (n = 9) the addition of an alpha-gl ucosidase inhibitor to the initial sulphonylurea did not produce any s ignificant changes in mean postprandial blood glucose or glycosylated haemoglobin levels. The results for individual patients indicated that the glycosylated haemoglobin levels had improved after the change of treatment only in those patients whose connective peptide immunoreacti vity was greater than or equal to 6.0 ng/ml.