IMPROVEMENT OF LIPOPROTEIN LIPID-COMPOSITION IN TYPE-II DIABETIC-PATIENTS WITH CONCOMITANT HYPERLIPOPROTEINEMIA BY ACIPIMOX TREATMENT - RESULTS OF A MULTICENTER TRIAL

OBJECTIVE - To study the tolerability and efficacy of acipimox on hype rlipidemia and diabetes compensation in patients with NIDDM under cond itions of a routine clinical practice. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - W e recruited 121 patients (60 men and 61 women) from 10 participating c linical centers. They were randomly divided into two groups and treate d for 3 mo either with acipimox (2 50 mg three times a day) or placebo , using an open study design. RESULTS- Acipimox treatment led to a sig nificant drop in fasting serum total triglyceride levels (by 28%) afte r 1 mo of drug administration. This decrease prevailed up to the end o f the 3-mo study. Serum total cholesterol levels declined by 14%, and high-density lipoprotein tended to rise in acipimox-treated patients. These changes in lipid metabolism were not accompanied by any adverse effects of acipimox on glucose metabolism as judged by HbA1c measureme nts and the oral glucose tolerance test. Eight patients (out of 82 tre ated with acipimox) reported moderate adverse events of transient char acter, such as skin reactions and gastric disturbances. CONCLUSIONS - Acipimox seems to be a useful agent for treatment of diabetic dyslipid emia and does not deteriorate glycemic control.