CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE WITH ACARBOSE - RESULTS OF A CANADIAN MULTICENTERSTUDY

Current therapeutic options for the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) focus on regimens that primarily lower fast ing blood glucose concentrations. In several short-term studies, the a lpha-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose, has been reported to significant ly lower postprandial plasma glucose levels as well as HbA(1c). The pr imary objective of this present study was to assess the long-term effi cacy of adjunctive acarbose therapy to improve metabolic control. Over a 1-y period, acarbose or placebo was administered to 4 groups of pat ients: those managed by diet only, diet and sulfonylurea, diet and big uanide, and diet and insulin. In all treatment groups, the addition of acarbose resulted in significant reductions in postprandial blood glu cose levels. Additionally, HbA(1C) was significantly lower after 12 mo nths of acarbose therapy compared with placebo, in all groups except t he diet and insulin group. The addition of acarbose consequently expan ds the armamentarium available to clinicians for the optimization of g lycemic control in patients with NIDDM.