Novel glucose-lowering drugs for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND The efficacy of novel glucose-lowering drugs in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is unknown.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of glucose-lowering drugs dipeptidyl peptidase-4(DPP-4)inhibitors,glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1 RAs),and sodiumglucose cotransporter 2(SGLT2)inhibitors in treating NAFLD and to perform a comparison between these treatments.METHODS Electronic databases were systematically searched.The inclusion criteria were:Randomized controlled trials comparing DPP-4 inhibitors,GLP-1 RAs,or SGLT2 inhibitors against placebo or other active glucose-lowering drugs in NAFLD patients,with outcomes of changes in liver enzyme[alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and/or aspartate aminotransferase(AST)]from baseline.RESULTS Nineteen studies were finally included in this meta-analysis.Compared with placebo or other active glucose-lowering drug treatment,treatment with DPP-4 inhibitors,GLP-1 RAs,and SGLT2 inhibitors all led to a significant decrease in ALT change and AST change from baseline.The difference between the DPP-4 inhibitor and SGLT2 inhibitor groups in ALT change was significant in favor of DPP-4 inhibitor treatment(P<0.05).The trends of reduction in magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction and visceral fat area changes were also observed in all the novel glucose-lowering agent treatment groups.CONCLUSION Treatment with DPP-4 inhibitors,GLP-1 RAs,and SGLT2 inhibitors resulted in improvements in serum ALT and AST levels and body fat composition,indicating a beneficial effect in improving liver injury and reducing liver fat in NAFLD patients.

Compared with insulin glargine, insulin degludec narrows the day-to-day variability in the glucose-lowering effect rather than lowering blood glucose levels

Background: Changes in the day-to-day variability in the glucose-lowering effect of insulin [fluctuations of blood glucose levels (BG) seen during the same time period] that occur when insulin glargine (glargine) is replaced with insulin degludec (degludec) have not been sufficiently evaluated. Subjects: Five diabetics with unstable BG undergoing basal-bolus treatment using insulin glargine as basal insulin. Methods: Basal insulin was changed from glargine to same-dose degludec. The subjects’ HbA1c, glycoalbumin, and 1.5-anhydro-D-glucitol were measured before and after the switchover. Fasting blood glucose concentration (FBG) and predinner blood glucose concentration (PDBG) were measured continuously for 28 days immediately before the switchover, and 28 days immediately thereafter, to compare and evaluate 1) the changes in their mean values and standard deviations (SDs) before and after the switchover, and 2) the frequency of appearance of BG of over 180 mg/dL (BG ≥ 180) and under 70 mg/dL (BG Results: The levels of HbA1c, glycoalbumin, FBG’s mean value, SDs, BG ≥ 180 and BG Conclusion: The possibility was shown that degludec, to a greater extent than glargine, suppressed daily fluctuations of FBG and PDBG, suppressed the occurrence frequency of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, and exerted more steady hypoglycemic actions.

Biphasic insulin aspart 30 improved glycemic control in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes poorly controlled on oral glucose-lowering drugs： a subgroup analysis of the A1chieve study

Background The effectiveness and safety of initiating biphasic insulin aspart 30 in patients who were poorly controlled on oral glucose-lowering drugs were studied in randomized controlled trials,while results from clinical practice remain limited.This subgroup analysis was to provide such findings from a large-scale non-interventional study.Methods A1chieve was a multinational,prospective,open-label,non-interventional,24-week study in patients with type 2 diabetes initiating insulin analogues in 28 countries across Asia,Africa,Europe,and Latin America.After physician had taken the decision to use this insulin,any patient with type 2 diabetes who was not treated with or who had started the study insulin within 4 weeks before inclusion was eligible.Patients were treated with study insulin alone or in combination with oral glucose-lowering drugs.Data on adverse drug reactions,hypoglycemia and glycemic control were collected at baseline,week 12 and 24.This is a report of a Chinese subgroup analysis from the A1chieve study.Results Totally,4 100 patients constituted this subgroup.No serious adverse drug reactions were reported.Rates of total,major,nocturnal hypoglycemic events （events/patient per year） were 1.47,0.10,0.31 at baseline and 1.35,0.00,0.22 at week 24,respectively.Glycemic control was improved as measured by hemoglobin A1c （mean 9.3％ to 7.0％,reduction -2.3％）,fasting plasma glucose （mean 10.2 to 6.8 mmol/L,reduction-3.5 mmol/L） and postprandial plasma glucose （mean 14.4 to 8.8 mmol/L,reduction-5.6 mmol/L）,all P ＜0.001.Change in mean body weight was ＋0.3 kg （P ＜0.001）.Conclusion In this subgroup analysis of the A1chieve study,biphasic insulin aspart 30 improved glycemic control with low risk of hypoglycemia.

Experimental study of glucose-lowering effects on electroacupuncture at back-shu points in rats

Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)at different acupoints for fasting blood glucose(FBG)and oral glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes rats so as to verify the glucose-lowering effects of EA.Methods Total100 SD male rats were used as experimental objects。