The following is from Dr. Thomas A. Buchanan's presentation at the Ist International Congress on Prediabetes and the Metabolic Syndrome. April, 2005, Berlin, Germany
What is Pre-Diabetes? His definition:
- "Rising glucose levels and
- falling B-cell function
- Occurring on a background of insulin resistance."
General concepts:
- IGT and IFG are not synonymous with Prediabetes.
- People with normal glucose tolerance can have pre-diabetes.
- Rising glucose is the important clinical phenotype.
What are the effects of thiazolidinediones (TZD) on progression to Diabetes?
- TRIPOD (TRoglitazone in Prevention of Diabetes) used Rezulin (has been withdrawn from the market).
- PIPOD used Pioglitazone (Actos)
PIPOD: Main Messages
- Actos treatment was associated with a relatively low incidence rate of diabetes
- Actos stabilized falling B-cell function in women who had been losing function on placebo and maintained relatively stable b-cell function in women who had already been stabilized on Rezulin.
- B-cell rest (for definition see below) was associated with protection from diabetes inn PIPOD, as it was in TRIPOD.
Beta Cell Rest -- reduction in secretory demands imposed on B-cells by chronic insulin resistance
Did Pioglitazone (Actos) alter the course of b-cell function compared to the pattern observed in TRIPOD (Rezulin)? Yes
TRIPOD: Main Messages
- Rezulin treatment reduced the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 55% in high-risk Hispanic women.
- The mechanism for protection appeared to be a reduction in secretory demands imposed on B-cells by chronic insulin resistance (B-cell "rest")
- It is impossible to stop progression toward and to type 2 diabetes (true prevention)
Role of Pharmacology in Diabetes Prevention
| |
Step One | Screening |
Step Two | Insulin Resistance |
Step Three | Measure Glucose |
| |
Diabetic | Treat Diabetes |
| |
Impaired | Higher Risk |
| |
| Diet and Exercise Intervention |
| Rising Glycemia -- Pharmacological treatment with TZD |
| Stable Glycemia -- Continue Diet and Exercise |
| |
Normal | Lower Risk |
| |
| Diet and Exercise Advice -- Annual follow-up |
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