title: Glimepiride in type 2 diabetes mellitus Thai patients.
abstract: This study aimed to confirm the efficacy of glimepiride given once daily in the treatment of Thai type 2 diabetic patients and to find out the optimum dosage for Thai patients. The patients were enrolled at the diabetic clinics of 5 hospitals (Rajavithi, Chulalongkorn, Pramongkutklao, Siriraj and Theptarin Hospitals). All patients started glimepiride 1 mg once daily and escalated to 2, 3, 4 and until 6 mg every 4 weeks if fasting plasma glucose (FPG) exceeded 140 mg/dL. Subjects were 60 females and 29 males with an average age of 52.2 +/- 10.0 years. Mean BMI was 25.5 +/- 3.8 kg/m2. Fifty seven patients (64.0%) were drug naïve and thirty two patients (36.0%) had been previously treated with oral hypoglycemic agents. Seventy three per cent of the drug naïve and 37 per cent of the previously treated patients could be controlled with 1-2 mg of glimepiride once daily. At the twelfth week of treatment, mean fasting plasma glucose decreased from 224.6 to 156.6 mg/dL (30% reduction) and mean HbA1c decreased from 10.0 to 7.5 per cent (25% reduction). At the end of the study 49.4 per cent of the patients had HbA1c < 7.0 per cent, 21.3 per cent had HbA1c 7.0-8.0 per cent and 29.3 per cent had HbA1c > 8.0 per cent. Adverse events that were probably or possibly related to the drug were reported in 5 patients (5.6%). Three of them were hypoglycemia and two patients had skin rash. All hypoglycemic episodes were mild. Glimepiride was indicated to be safe. There were no clinically significant changes in clinical laboratory values, physical examinations and vital signs. In conclusion, glimepiride was efficacious and safe in type 2 diabetes Thai patients and 1-2 mg of glimepiride appeared to be a sufficient dose for most newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deerochanawong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandraprasert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suthijumroon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vichayanrat
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himathongkam
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nitiyanant
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Benjasuratawong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suwanwalaikorn
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sarinnapakorn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vongterapak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013785:Thailand; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; C057619:glimepiride