Comparison of Efficacy of Pitavastatin and Colestimide in Japanese Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Complicated by Hyperlipidemia and Metabolic Syndrome

Effects of statin therapy on glycemic control and insulin resistance: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To update the evidence about the diabetogenic effect of statins.

METHODS

We searched for randomized-controlled trials reporting the effects of statin therapy on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and/or homeostatic model insulin resistance (i.e., HOMA-IR) as indexes of diabetes. Studies were classified between the ones testing normal vs individuals with already altered glycemic control (HbA1c ≥ 6.5%; and HOMA-IR ≥ 2.15). Furthermore, studies were separated by statin type and dosage prescribed. Data are presented as mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

A total of 67 studies were included in the analysis (>25,000 individuals). In individuals with altered glycemic control, statins increased HbA1c levels (MD 0.21%, 95% CI 0.16-to-0.25) and HOMA-IR index (MD 0.31, 95% CI 0.24-to-0.38). In individuals with normal glycemic control, statin increased HbA1c (MD 1.33%, 95% CI 1.31-to-1.35) and HOMA-IR (MD 0.49, 95% CI 0.41-to-0.58) in comparison to the placebo groups. The dose or type of statins did not modulate the diabetogenic effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Statins, slightly but significantly raise indexes of diabetes in individuals with adequate or altered glycemic control. The diabetogenic effect does not seem to be influenced by the type or dosage of statin prescribed.

Lipid lowering drugs and inflammatory changes: an impact on cardiovascular outcomes?

Inflammatory changes are responsible for maintenance of the atherosclerotic process and may underlie some of the most feared vascular complications. Among the multiple mechanisms of inflammation, the arterial deposition of lipids and particularly of cholesterol crystals is the one responsible for the activation of inflammasome NLRP3, followed by the rise of circulating markers, mainly C-reactive protein (CRP). Elevation of lipoproteins, LDL but also VLDL and remnants, associates with increased inflammatory changes and coronary risk. Lipid lowering medications can reduce cholesterolemia and CRP: patients with elevations of both are at greatest cardiovascular (CV) risk and receive maximum benefit from therapy. Evaluation of the major drug series indicates that statins exert the largest LDL and CRP reduction, accompanied by reduced CV events. Other drugs, mainly active on the triglyceride/HDL axis, for example, PPAR agonists, may improve CRP and the lipid pattern, especially in patients with metabolic syndrome. PCSK9 antagonists, the newest most potent medications, do not induce significant changes in inflammatory markers, but patients with the highest baseline CRP levels show the best CV risk reduction. Parallel evaluation of lipids and inflammatory changes clearly indicates a significant link, both guiding to patients at highest risk, and to the best pharmacological approach. Key messages Lipid lowering agents with "pleiotropic" effects provide a more effective approach to CV prevention In CANTOS study, patients achieving on-treatment hsCRP concentrations ≤2 mg/L had a higher benefit in terms of reduction in major CV events The anti-inflammatory activity of PCSK9 antagonists appears to be of a minimal extent.

Bile acid sequestrants for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM

To evaluate the effects of bile acid sequestrants (BASs) versus placebo, no intervention or active comparators on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Data were retrieved and a systematic review with meta-analyses was performed. We evaluated bias control and subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate heterogeneity and bias.

RESULTS

We included 17 trials with a total of 2950 patients randomized to BASs (colesevelam or colestimide) versus placebo, no intervention, statins or sitagliptin. Random-effects meta-analysis showed that patients randomized to BASs had a lower hemoglobin A_1c at the end of treatment compared with the control group (mean difference-0.55%; 95% confidence interval-0.64 to -0.46). Analysis of trials with low risk of bias in all domains confirmed the findings. Data on adverse events were limited. There were no differences between trials stratified by the control group and no evidence of publication bias or small study effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analyses found that BAS treatment improves glycemic control. The size of the effect was clinically relevant and despite limited safety data, our findings support the inclusion of BASs in current diabetes management algorithms for type 2 diabetes.

Effect of telmisartan on the therapeutic efficacy of pitavastatin in high-fat diet induced dyslipidemic guinea pigs

Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs), similar to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), could improve lipid metabolism abnormalities. There might be some cross-talking pathways between statins and ARBs to produce additive beneficial effects on lipid metabolism in dyslipidemia. However, few studies investigate the effects of ARBs on the therapeutic efficacy of statins in dyslipidemia. The present study was designed to systematically evaluate the effects of telmisartan on the therapeutic efficacy of pitavastatin on lowering lipid level and reducing fat deposition by employing a dyslipidemia model, guinea pigs. 48 Male guinea pigs fed with high-fat diet were randomly grouped and treated with vehicle, telmisartan, pitavastatin or telmisartan/pitavastatin combinations. After treatment for eight weeks, telmisartan could significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy of pitavastatin by extremely reducing body weight gain, weight of adipose tissue and adipocyte size. However, telmisartan/pitavastatin combinations could not further improve lipid levels on the basis of pitavastain, though single telmisartan markedly decreased triglyceride (TG) and slightly increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Moreover, telmisartan/pitavastatin combinations significantly upregulated the gene expression level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-δ, but no effects on the expression of PPAR-α/γ, leptin and adiponectin compared to monotherapy. Taken together, our studies provided new evidences that telmisartan has an additive beneficial influence on decreasing fat deposition and weight gain through PPAR-δ pathway but cannot enhance the therapeutic efficacy of pitavastatin on lowering lipid levels. The combinational administration of telmisartan and pitavastatin could be a potential therapeutic strategy for dyslipidemia related obesity and worthy of further investigation in obese animal models.