title: Effects of the glucosidase inhibitor acarbose in patients with liver cirrhosis.
abstract: In this preliminary study, we examined the effects of acarbose and placebo together with a standardized breakfast on blood glucose levels, on breath hydrogen excretion and on plasma insulin and glucagon levels; in addition, the effects on fasting blood levels of metabolites were studied following an evening meal with acarbose or placebo. Acarbose significantly reduced blood glucose levels in 10 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis following a meal containing 100 g of carbohydrate. There were no significant changes in plasma insulin after breakfast but glucagon levels were increased at 1 h after the meal. Breath hydrogen excretion did not change significantly. Acarbose given with a late evening snack reduced fasting beta-hydroxybutyrate levels the next morning in these cirrhotic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Dijkzigt, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zillikens
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D020909:Acarbose; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001944:Breath Tests; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013213:Starch / Q000494:pharmacology; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D065089:Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D014312:Trisaccharides; D006859:Hydrogen; D013213:Starch; D020909:Acarbose