Source: DGNews  |  Posted 6 years ago

By Maria Bishop

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- November 15, 2005 -- Olmesartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, has been demonstrated to improve the insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Researchers reported the findings here on November 12[^]th[] at the 38[^]th[] Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN).

Researchers led by Jos? Lu?o, MD, Nephrology Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, Spain, administered olmesartan at a 40-mg dose for 16 weeks to 52 patients with stages 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease (mean estimated glomerular filtration rate of 42.17 mL/min.).

Treatment resulted in a number of significant decreases, Dr. Lu?o noted. Among those decreases observed were the following:

? blood pressure (158/84 mm Hg before treatment versus 137/74 mm Hg after treatment; P = .000)

? urinary protein excretion (2.29 versus 1.21; P = .03)

? homeostasis model assessment index (6 versus 4.7 mcU/mL x mmol/L; P = .02)

? plasma glucose (99 versus 92 mg/dL; P = .000)

? plasma insulin (23.1 versus 20.9 UI/mL; P = .05) and

? glycated haemoglobin (5.33% versus 4.85%; P = .002).

Some inflammatory parameters were also reduced with olmesartan treatment, including fibrinogen, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. There were no significant differences in body mass index, triglycerides, or cholesterol (either high-density lipoprotein or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) after olmesartan treatment.

Study participants were nondiabetic and were never treated previously with renin-angiotensin-system blocking drugs. Baseline data were compared with data obtained from 25 healthy individuals of similar age (approximately 70 years old) and normal renal function (98.33 mL/min), who served as a control group.

Compared with controls, patients with chronic kidney disease presented at baseline with significantly higher blood pressure, as well as higher triglyceride levels and lower high-density lipoprotein levels, higher insulin levels and a higher mean homeostasis model assessment index.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the patients with chronic kidney disease was 44% at baseline.

[Presentation title: Olmesartan Improves Insulin Resistance in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients. Abstract 960]