Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital, Hyogo 660-0828, Japan
Abstract
There have been increasing evidences that thiazolidinediones,
peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR
) agonists, may
have some antiatherogenic actions. We have previously reported that
troglitazone has a potent inhibitory effect on common carotid arterial
intima-media thickness (IMT) in subjects with type 2 diabetes. However,
some studies suggested a possibility that PPAR
activators may have
protoatherogenic actions, raising concern about their detrimental
effects in diabetic subjects. In the present study, we investigated the
effect of treatment with pioglitazone, another PPAR
agonist, on IMT
in a total of 106 Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes. Pioglitazone
(30 mg daily) was administered for 6 months in 53 patients. Compared to
control group (n = 53), the group given pioglitazone showed a
significant decrease in IMT as early as 3 months after the
administration. The decrease in IMT was also found after 6 months (IMT
change: -0.084[SE 0.023] mm vs. control 0.022[SE 0.006]
mm, P < 0.001), although the difference between those after 3 and 6
months did not reach any statistical significance. These findings
indicate that thiazolidinediones cause an inhibition of early
atherosclerotic process PPAR
activation.