Abstract

BACKGROUND
It is sometimes very difficult to control the elevation of postprandial glucose with diet therapy only in patients with NIDDM partly because of their defective insulin response to glucose. Recently the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors which inhibit carbohydrate digestion and suppress or delay absorption of the final breakdown products, glucose and fructose when it is taken orally with meal have been widely used in the treatment of diabetes. The drugs, however, provoke the adverse effects e.g. flatulence, diarrhea etc. in some patients. Therefore we studied the efficacy of the more recently developed alpha glucosidase inhibitor, Voglibose (Basen, Cheiljedang) METHODS: Fifty five patients whose postprandial two hour serum glucose levels were more than 11.1 mmol/L despite the strict diet therapy during the 4 week observation period were assigned to receive Voglibose 0.2 mg before each meal t.i.d. for 8 weeks. Of 55 subjects, 41 were given Voglibose 0.3 mg t..i.d. for the last 4 weeks because of their poor glucose control, RESULTS: The postprandial one and two hour serum glucose levels significantly decreased after therapy; 1 hour: 17.5+4.4 mmol/L(prior to therapy), 15.4+3.8 mmol/L(4 week after), 14.8+5.1 mmol/L(8 week), p <0.00l, 2 hour: 16.7+4.5 mmol/L, 14.8+3.9 mmol/ L, 14.8+4.5 mmol/L, p<0.00 l, t-tests for paired samples. Total serum cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels also significantly decreased(5.24+1.06 - 4.90+1.27 mmol/L, p=0.036, 1.34+0.66 1.16 +0.3l mmol/L, p=0.035 respectively) However, HbAlc, serum fructosamine, insulin and triglyceride levels were not significantly changed. The prevalence of the adverse effects due to Voglibose was 14%(10/71). All of them were less than grade II of WHO criteria and disappeared despite continuing therapy. CONCLUSION: Voglibose monotherapy is considered as having an glucose lowering effect in patients with NIDDM whose adequate postprandial blood glucose cannot be achieved with diet therapy only.

• Keywords: Voglibose;NIDDM;