title: Effects of bezafibrate on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in subjects with combined hyperlipidemia.
abstract: To investigate whether the lowering of triglyceride levels has beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, we studied 13 nondiabetic men with combined hyperlipidemia (phenotype IIB) before and after 2 months of treatment with a slow-release formulation of bezafibrate (400 mg daily). The rates of whole body glucose disposal were quantitated by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique (insulin infusion rate of 80 mU/m2/min). In an oral glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose level decreased slightly (5.0 +/- 0.2 versus 4.8 +/- 0.2 mmol/L; p < 0.05) during bezafibrate treatment. Glucose and insulin levels after an oral glucose load remained unchanged. Rates of whole body glucose disposal did not change during bezafibrate treatment (39.5 +/- 3.3 mumol/kg/min before treatment versus 40.6 +/- 2.7 mumol/kg/min after treatment; difference not significant). Basal hepatic glucose output also remained unchanged (8.2 +/- 0.2 mumol/kg/min before treatment versus 8.3 +/- 0.2 mumol/kg/min after treatment; difference not significant). Our findings show that bezafibrate has a triglyceride-lowering effect without any significant influence on insulin sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kuopio University, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karhapää
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Voutilainen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laakso
mesh_terms: D001629:Bezafibrate / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006950:Hyperlipidemia, Familial Combined / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D014280:Triglycerides; D005947:Glucose; D001629:Bezafibrate