title: Acarbose improves fibrinolytic activity in patients with impaired glucose tolerance.
abstract: Acarbose has been shown to ameliorate insulinemia, suggesting that it may exert favorable effects on the impaired fibrinolytic state in prediabetic patients. We therefore conducted a randomized controlled study to examine the effects of acarbose on fibrinolysis in patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). The participants were randomized to receive (n = 20) or not (control, n = 20) 100 mg of acarbose before each meal (300 mg/d) for 3 months. A marked decrease in the plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (by 42%) and fibrinogen (by 27%) was observed in the acarbose group at the end of the study, whereas no significant changes in the levels of these parameters were observed in the control group. We also conducted postprandial evaluation of insulin-related clinical markers and found ameliorated hyperinsulinemia in the subjects treated with acarbose. These results indicate that acarbose could improve fibrinolysis in patients with IGT, mainly by ameliorating insulinemia. Other favorable effects of acarbose, such as reduction in the plasma levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, glucose toxicity, and hyperglycemia, might also contribute, at least in part, to the beneficial effects of the drug on the fibrinolytic state in patients with IGT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Saitama Medical School, Saitama 350-0495, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinoda
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Takanari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sassa
authors.forename: Sei-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Awata
authors.forename: Tsugikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Komoda
authors.forename: Shigehiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katayama
mesh_terms: D020909:Acarbose / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D005340:Fibrinogen; D020909:Acarbose