To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ENDO: Troglitazone Drug Helps non-Diabetic Patients Lose Weight URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1FEB8E.htm Doctor's Guide June 20, 2001
By Emma Patten-Hitt Special to DG News DENVER, CO -- June 20, 2001 -- A diet low in amylose, in combination with rosiglitazone (RSG) therapy - a thiazolidinedione - may help non-diabetic obese patients lose weight, according to new study findings. Dr. Ritchie C. Shoemaker with the McCready Hospital, Pokemoke, Maryland, in collaboration with researchers from GlaxoSmithKline reported the findings today at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO 2001) in Denver, Colorado. According to the researchers, the beneficial effects of RSG in a weight-loss program may be due to the induction of transcription of genes coding for uncoupling protein as well as glucose transport proteins, effects that may be blocked by dietary amylose. The researchers used a diet containing no amylose coupled with rosiglitazone therapy to treat 40 patients with refractory obesity attending a weight-loss clinic. The patients ate eight ounces of protein a day, and three servings each of fresh fruit and vegetables not containing amylose for 12 weeks. They did not count calories, restrict their portion sizes, or count fat grams. In the 30 patients taking RSG that were compliant with diet, average weight loss was 1.5 lbs per week for women and 1.7 lbs per week for men. Total cholesterol fell by 8.6 percent, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol by 10.1 percent, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol increased by 4.6 percent. Women lost 2.4 inches around their hips and 1.6 inches off their waist. There were no adverse effects, according to the researchers. "There's no reason that these findings should not extend to other drugs in this class," Dr. Shoemaker told Doctor's Guide, pointing out that he and his colleagues first tried troglitazone and saw similar results. "This study will need to be verified in larger clinical trials at multiple sites, but if the results are confirmed, rosiglitazone and the special no-amylose diet has the promise of defeating the increasing problem of obesity by activating the body's own metabolic machinery to burn fat," the researchers note. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.