Glucose disturbances and regulation with glibenclamide in thalassemia

Specific laboratory and clinical characteristics indicate that the pathogen esis of diabetes in patients with thalassemia resembles the pathogenesis of maturity-onset diabetes (type II), Thus oral hypoglycemic agents may be us ed to regulate blood glucose levels by induction of insulin secretion and r eduction of insulin resistance. The efficacy of glibenclamide administratio n in the management of glucose disturbances was evaluated in 33 patients wi th thalassemia, aged 12-30 years (mean 17.4 +/- 3.7), in whom diet and exer cise failed to regulate hyperglycemia, The results were compared to 30 thal assemic patients (mean age 18.4 +/- 4.8 yr), who followed only diet and exe rcise, Improvement of OGTT was observed in 73% of the treated patients vers us 43% of the control group for a mean period of 59 months. Deterioration o f OGTT occurred more rapidly (33.7 +/- 26.1 vs 40.7 +/- 34.5 mos), and in m ore patients of the untreated group (57%) than in treated patients (27%). A mong treated patients, effectiveness of oral hypoglycemic agents lasted lon ger in patients with diabetic (64.1 +/- 40.3 mos) than in patients with imp aired curves (54.2 +/- 31 mos).