title: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors improve arterial stiffness, blood pressure, lipid profile and inflammation parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This uncontrolled open label study evaluated the effect of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i): sitagliptin and vildagliptin on augmentation index standardized for 75 beats per minute (cAiX@75), blood pressure (BP), lipid profile and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one well-regulated T2DM patients were randomly assigned to either sitagliptin or vildagliptin (100 mg/day) for 3 months continuing their previous treatment. Lipid profile, cAiX@75, hsCRP, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured at baseline at 4, 8 and 12th week were accessed. cAiX@75 and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were determined by SphygmoCor device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following DPP-4 treatment there was a significant reduction in total serum cholesterol (5.18 vs 4.62 mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein (2.89 vs 2.54 mmol/L), hsCRP (3.21 vs 1.95 mg/L), cAiX@75 (24.5 vs 22.3) and central systolic BP (131.8 vs 119.5 mmHg). The sitagliptin treated group reached cAiX@75 reduction earlier in the study period while neither sitagliptin or vildagliptin use resulted in the significant HbA1c reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment with DPP-4i: sitagliptin and vildagliptin provides favorable metabolic and vascular effects beyond glucose-control. Further studies are required to elucidate their implication in metabolic pathways.
authors.affiliation: Vuk Vrhovac Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic diseases, Merkur University hospital, Dugi dol 4a, Zagreb, Croatia ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duvnjak
authors.affiliation: Vuk Vrhovac Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic diseases, Merkur University hospital, Dugi dol 4a, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blaslov
keywords: Augumentation index; Blood pressure; Dipeptidyl peptidase-4; Type 2 diabetes mellitus