title: The effect of Losartan on insulin resistance and beta cell function in chronic hemodialysis patients.
abstract: Insulin resistance (IR) is prevalent in hemodialysis patients. IR and hyperinsulinemia have an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, which is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Thus, antihypertensive drugs that lower IR, may have an additional beneficial effect in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in these patients. In this preliminary study we examined the effect of Losartan (an angiotensin II receptor antagonist) treatment on IR and beta cell function in five hypertensive non-diabetic chronic hemodialysis patients. All other known causes of IR in end stage renal failure were excluded. After a washout period of two weeks, Losartan 50 mg, was administered for 6 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin levels were measured before and after the treatment IR and beta cell function were calculated using the "homeostasis model assessment"-HOMA. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) have not changed significantly throughout the study. FBG increased significantly from 76 mg/dL +/- 1 to 89 mg/dL +/- 4 (p < 0.01), however, insulin levels have not changed significantly. Calculated IR values did not show a difference, but calculated beta cell function decreased significantly after Losartan treatment from 291% +/- 50 to 146% +/- 10, (p < 0.016). These preliminary results suggest that in chronic hemodialysis hypertensive non-diabetic patients short treatment with Losartan has deleterious effect on glucose homeostasis mediated via a decrease in beta cell function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine A, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. sigal001@bezeqint.net
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fishman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rapoport
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weissgarten
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaidenstein
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dishi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hartzeanu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008134:Long-Term Care; D019808:Losartan / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000379:methods; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D001786:Blood Glucose; D019808:Losartan