Source: DGNews  |  Posted 8 years ago

By Maury M. Breecher, PhD, MPH

SAN DIEGO, CA -- May 18, 2003 -- Nateglinide monotherapy is safe and effective for treatment of hypoglycemia in elderly type 2 diabetes patients, presented here on May 16th at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 12th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress.

"Elderly, type 2 patients are the fastest growing diabetic subpopulation, and are at higher risk for hypoglycemia, but they tend to be under-treated by clinicians," said study author, Michelle A. Barron, MD, Senior Medical Director of Cardiovascular Medicine, US Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey.

The study featured a 2-week, single-blind, placebo run-in period prior to the 12-week randomized, double-blind, parallel group study. The study enrolled 54 elderly patients, 65 to 90 years of age (mean age 74 years), who had never before received diabetes treatment.

Thirty subjects received 120 mg of nateglinide, and 24 received placebo. The group started with a mean baseline hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 74.4%, and after 12 weeks the nateglinide-treated group had decreased their HbA1c measurements to a mean of 6.9%, a change of