The effects of short-term, rapid glycemic control on the peroneal nerve function and serum VCAM-1 and AGE in type 2 diabetic patients in Malaysia.
BACKGROUND
The role of endothelial injury and circulating adhesion molecule in the development and progression of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in the long-term has been established previously.


OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of short-term glycemic control using insulin and oral hypoglycemic agent therapy (OHA) on the peroneal nerve function and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) levels in type 2 diabetic patients.


METHODS
A randomized controlled study involving poorly controlled (HbA1c, 7.5%-11%) type 2 diabetic patients attending the endocrinology outpatient center in a tertiary hospital in Kuala Lumpur.


METHODS
Twenty-nine patients were randomized to receive insulin (n=15) or OHA (n=14) for 8 weeks. The glycemic variables (HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose [FPG], fructosamine), VCAM-1, serum AGE and the peroneal motor conduction velocity (PMCV) were measured at baseline and at 4-week intervals.


METHODS
Paired 't' test or Kruskal Wallis test; and the unpaired 't' test or Mann-Whitney U test were used for within-group and between-group analyses, respectively. Correlation was analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
Within-group analysis showed significant progressive improvement in HbA1c at weeks 4 and 8 in the insulin group. The PMCV improved significantly in both groups by week 8, and by week 4 (P = 0.01) in the insulin group. PMCV correlated negatively with VCAM-1 (P = 0.031) and AGE (P = 0.009) at week 8.


CONCLUSIONS
Aggressive glycemic control with insulin improves the peroneal nerve function within 4 weeks. Improvement in the serum VCAM-1 and AGE levels correlated significantly with improvement in peroneal nerve conduction velocity only in the insulin group.
Norlinah
M I
MI
Department of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. norlinah@mail.hukm.ukm.my
Hamizah
R
R
Md Isa
S H
SH
Wan Nazaimoon
W M
WM
Khalid
B A K
BA
D000284:Administration, Oral; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000187:drug effects; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D020427:Peroneal Neuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1