Chromium Treatment Has No Effect in Patients With Poorly Controlled, Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes in an Obese Western Population
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- Nanne Kleefstra, MD1,
- Sebastiaan T. Houweling, MD, PHD12,
- Frank G.A. Jansman, PHARMD, PHD34,
- Klaas H. Groenier, PHD2,
- Rijk O.B. Gans, MD, PHD5,
- Betty Meyboom-de Jong, MD, PHD2,
- Stephan J.L. Bakker, MD, PHD5 and
- Henk J.G. Bilo, MD, PHD, FRCP1
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Isala Clinics, Weezenlanden Location, Zwolle, the Netherlands
- 2Department of General Practice, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- 3Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Care, Groningen University Institute for Drug Exploration, Groningen, the Netherlands
- 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Isala Clinics, Weezenlanden Location, Zwolle, the Netherlands
- 5Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Nanne Kleefstra, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Isala Clinics, Weezenlanden Location, P.O. Box 10500, 8000 GM Zwolle, Netherlands. E-mail: kleefstra{at}langerhans.com
Abstract
OBJECTIVE—Chromium treatment has been reported to improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in specific populations of patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chromium treatment on glycemic control in a Western population of insulin-dependent patients with type 2 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In this 6-month double-blind study, patients with an HbA1c (A1C) >8% and insulin requirements of >50 units/day were randomly assigned to receive treatment with placebo or 500 or 1,000 μg chromium daily in the form of chromium picolinate. The primary efficacy parameter was a change in A1C. Secondary end points were changes in lipid profile, BMI, blood pressure, and insulin requirements.
RESULTS—In this per-protocol analysis (n = 46), the decrease in A1C was approximately equal across the three groups (0.4%). All patients had a BMI >25 kg/m2. No differences were found in the secondary end points. We found a weak relationship between an increasing serum chromium concentration and improvement of the lipid profile.
CONCLUSIONS—There is no evidence that high-dose chromium treatment is effective in obese Western patients with type 2 diabetes.
Footnotes
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A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances.
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- Accepted November 30, 2005.
- Received August 3, 2005.
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