Acarbose actions on insulin resistance and inflammatory parameters during an oral fat load

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acarbose on inflammatory biomarkers and insulin resistance in diabetic patients before and after a standardized oral fat load (OFL). Ninety six patients were assigned to take acarbose 50 mg three times a day and 92 to take placebo; after the first month acarbose was titrated to 100 mg three times a day. We evaluated the following parameters at the baseline, and after 1, 2 and 7 months: body mass index (BMI), glycemic control, fasting plasma insulin, post-prandial plasma insulin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), blood pressure, lipid profile, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C reactive protein (Hs-CRP), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin). Furthermore, at the baseline and at the end of the study all patients underwent OFL, and an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp to evaluate M value and total glucose requirement. Acarbose was better than placebo in improving glycemic and lipid profile, and HOMA-IR. Furthermore, acarbose gave a decrease of fasting plasma insulin, post-prandial insulin, s-ICAM-1, sVCAM-1, IL-6, and Hs-CRP, not observed with placebo, even if no significant differences between the two groups were observed. During the second OFL performed after the therapy with acarbose, we observed a significant decrease of all inflammatory parameters' peaks compared to the OFL administered at baseline. Acarbose was more effective than acarbose in reducing the post-OFL peaks of the various parameters included the inflammatory markers, after 7 months of therapy.