The effect of fenofibrate on lymphocyte cytokine release in patients with impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance: A preliminary report

ObjectiveThe aim of our study was to investigate the effect of fenofibrate on lymphocyte secretory function in patients with isolated early glucose metabolism abnormalities.MethodsFifty-eight patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), fifty-six subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and fifty-five normolipidemic control subjects with asymptomatic atherosclerosis, were treated for 90 days with either micronized fenofibrate (200 mg/day) or placebo.ResultsCompared to control subjects, lymphocytes of both IGF and IGT patients released more amounts of interleukin-2, interferon-γ and TNF-α, and exhibited higher plasma levels of hsCRP. Despite improving glucose metabolism markers in both IFG and IGT subjects, fenofibrate reduced lymphocyte cytokine release only in the latter group of patients.ConclusionsOur results show for the first time that lymphocyte secretory function is disturbed at early stages of glucose metabolism disturbances and that IGT- but not IFG-induced abnormal function of T cells is corrected by fenofibrate administration.