Diabetes Care, Vol 17, Issue 1 20-29, Copyright © 1994 by American Diabetes Association
Effects of the carbohydrase inhibitor miglitol in sulfonylurea-treated NIDDM patients
PS Johnston, RF Coniff, BJ Hoogwerf, JV Santiago, FX Pi-Sunyer and A Krol
Miles Inc. Pharmaceutical Division, West Haven, Connecticut 06516.
OBJECTIVE--To examine the effects of the carbohydrase inhibitor miglitol
(BAY m 1099) on the metabolic profiles of non-insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus (NIDDM) patients suboptimally controlled on maximal daily doses of
sulfonylurea (SFU) agents. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--Multicenter,
double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled 14-week clinical trial with
six-week, single-blind placebo lead-in and run-out periods. NIDDM
volunteers (192) with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 140-250 mg/dl and
hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 6.5-12.0% after at least 4 weeks of treatment with
SFU at maximal dose were stratified by baseline HbA1c (above and below
9.0%) and then randomly assigned within strata to placebo (n = 63), 50 mg
miglitol 3 times a day (n = 61), or 100 mg miglitol 3 times a day (n = 68).
Efficacy was assessed by HbA1c, FPG, insulin, and lipid concentrations, and
by plasma glucose and serum insulin responses to a standard meal.
RESULTS--In the 50 and 100 mg miglitol treatment groups, the mean changes
from baseline in HbA1c (with placebo values subtracted) were 0.82 and
0.74%, respectively, and were highly significant (P = 0.0001 in each case).
Mean peak plasma glucose levels after a standard test meal were comparably
lowered by 57 mg/dl with the 50 mg miglitol dose, and by 64 mg/dl with the
100 mg miglitol dose compared with placebo (P = 0.0001 for each), with
associated reductions in integrated serum insulin response (P < 0.05).
No significant drug-associated changes in FPG, insulin, or cholesterol
levels were noted, but fasting triglyceride levels were lowered
significantly with the 50 mg miglitol dose. Miglitol's side effects were
limited to flatulence, loose stools, and abdominal discomfort, which were
dose-related, rapidly resolved on drug discontinuation, and led to
withdrawal from the study of 5 and 15% of patients taking 50 and 100 mg
miglitol, respectively. CONCLUSIONS--Miglitol may be indicated as effective
adjuvant therapy in NIDDM patients with suboptimal metabolic control
despite conventional treatment with diet and maximal daily doses of SFU.
The dose of 50 mg miglitol 3 times a day may be preferable to 100 mg
miglitol 3 times a day because of comparable efficacy and substantially
reduced side effects.