Muhammad Azhar Mughal, Saeed Ahmed Mahar, Muhammad Yousuf Memon, Wali Muhammad Maheri, Ramesh Kumar Tanwani.
Efficacy and Safety of Acarbose in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Insufficiently Controlled with Diet and Sulfonylureas alone.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;10(12):473-6.

The aim of this prospective intervention clinical trial was to examine the efficacy and safety of acarbose monotherapy in type 2 diabetic patients inadequately controlled on diet alone or on maximal doses of sulfonylurea therapy. Forty-four patients [36 men and 8 women; mean age t SD, 55.09:11.44 years; initial body mass index 23.6913.26 Kg/m2] with a mean duration of diabetes 2.1:1.3 years were studied. Acarbose started orally with 50 mg t.i.d. at 0 week was increased to 100 mg t.i.d. at 2nd week and adjusted according to metabolic response. The patients were followed-up weekly for 12 weeks. The primary target variables, fasting and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose decreased significantly from baseline at 12-weeks of acarbose therapy (p<0.01). No significant change was found in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Acarbose did not induce any serious adverse effects. In type 2 diabetic patients inadequately controlled with diet alone or with sulfonylurea therapy, acarbose in moderate doses resulted in beneficial effects on glycemic control, especially fasting and 2hour postprandial glycemia. The fasting blood glucose declined significantly at 12 weeks of acarbose monotherapy, but did not reach the normal range and the figure did not fall into the acceptable levels. Acarbose may be considered for first-line antidiabetic therapy in certain patients and may be useful as combination therapy in selected instances. Further evaluation of acarbose effects with conventional hypoglycemic agents may be investigated for improving metabolic control and its benefit on the evolution of long-term complications need to be clarified.

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