Cotreatment with the α-glucosidase inhibitor miglitol and DPP-4 inhibitor sitagliptin improves glycemic control and reduces the expressions of CVD risk factors in type 2 diabetic Japanese patients

ObjectiveIn this study, we examined whether inhibition of postprandial hyperglycemia by combination therapy with two drugs for reducing postprandial hyperglycemia, i.e., α-glucosidase inhibitor miglitol and dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor sitagliptin, improves glycemic control and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) development.Materials/MethodsWe enrolled 32 type 2 diabetic Japanese patients with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels ranging from 6.9% to 10.5%, who had been treated for at least 2 months with 50 mg miglitol (t.i.d.) or 50 mg sitagliptin (q.d.). Following a monotherapy period with either miglitol (Group-M) or sitagliptin (Group-S) for 1 month, the patients were subjected to combination therapy with sitagliptin and miglitol for 3 months. Meal tolerance tests were performed at the end of the monotherapy and combination therapy.ResultsCombination therapy for 3 months after monotherapy reduced HbA1c (changes: Group-M: − 1.3% ± 0.7%, P < 0.001; Group-S: − 0.6% ± 0.5%, P < 0.001) and glycoalbumin levels and increased 1,5-anhydroglucitol concentrations in the blood. In the meal tolerance tests, circulating active glucagon-like peptide-1 levels were elevated in both groups, while active glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide levels were reduced by combination therapy in the group with add-on miglitol therapy. The plasma protein concentrations of interleukin (IL)-8 and adhesion molecules (sE-selectin and sVCAM-1) were reduced by switching to the combination therapy, in particular with the add-on miglitol therapy.ConclusionsOur results suggest that combination therapy with miglitol and sitagliptin improves glycemic control and reduces the circulating protein concentrations of IL-8, sE-selectin, and sVCAM-1 in type 2 diabetic Japanese patients.