Efficacy and safety of vildagliptin in new-onset diabetes after kidney transplantation--a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

New-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) is a serious complication after kidney transplantation, but therapeutic strategies remain underexplored. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors selectively foster insulin secretion without inducing hypoglycemia, which might be advantageous in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with NODAT. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II trial to assess safety and efficacy of the DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin. Intraindividual differences in oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)-derived 2-h plasma glucose (2HPG) from baseline to 3 months after treatment served as primary endpoint. Among secondary outcomes, we evaluated HbA1c, metabolic and safety parameters, as well as OGTTs at 1 month after drug discontinuation. Of 509 stable KTRs who were screened in our outpatient clinic, 63 (12.4%) had 2HPG ≥ 200 mg/dL, 33 of them were randomized and 32 completed the study. In the vildagliptin group 2HPG and HbA1c were profoundly reduced in comparison to placebo (vildagliptin: 2HPG = 182.7 mg/dL, HbA1c = 6.1%; placebo: 2HPG = 231.2 mg/dL, HbA1c = 6.5%; both p ≤ 0.05), and statistical significance was achieved for the primary endpoint (vildagliptin: 2HPG-difference -73.7 ± 51.3 mg/dL; placebo: -5.7 ± 41.4 mg/dL; p < 0.01). Adverse events were generally mild and occurred at similar rates in both groups. In conclusion, DPP-4 inhibition in KTRs with overt NODAT was safe and efficient, providing a novel treatment alternative for this specific form of diabetes.

Alpha-lipoic acid improves vascular endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes: a placebo-controlled randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) treatment on endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation, assessed by forearm blood flow (FBF), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 30 subjects with type 2 diabetes were included in this randomized, controlled, double-blinded, parallel group study. FBF responses to intra-arterial acetylcholine (ACh) and glycerol trinitrate (GTN) were measured before and after 21 days of intravenous treatment with 600 mg alpha-lipoic acid or placebo. RESULTS: FBF responses were comparable at baseline. After treatment, FBF reactivity to ACh and GTN was unchanged in subjects receiving placebo. By contrast, ALA treatment increased endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to ACh (P < 0.05) but not to GTN compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous ALA treatment improves endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in patients with type 2 diabetes, in the absence of effects on forearm vasomotor function. If this salutary action translates into vascular risk reduction remains to be established.

Harmonisation of ethics committees' practice in 10 European countries.

BACKGROUND: The Directive 2001/20/EC was an important first step towards consistency in the requirements and processes for clinical trials across Europe. However, by applying the same rules to all types of drug trials and transposing the Directive's principles into pre-existing national legislations, the Directive somewhat failed to meet its facilitation and harmonization targets. In the field of ethics, the Directive 2001/20/EC conditioned the way of understanding and transposing the "single opinion" process in each country. This led to a situation in which two models of research ethics committees organisation systems exist, being the model in which the "single opinion" is considered to be the decision made by a single ethics committee more effective and simpler in terms of administrative and logistic workload. METHOD: A survey was conducted in 10 European countries. Members of the European Clinical Research Infrastructures Network working party number 1, with expertise in the field of ethics, responded. RESULTS: There is a major heterogeneity in the composition of ethics committees among the surveyed countries based on the number of members, proportion of experts versus lay members and expertise of the scientific members. A harmonized education of the ethics committees' membership based in common curricula is recommended by the majority of countries. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the efforts for harmonization of the European Clinical Trial Directive, from an ethical point of view, there remains a plurality of ethics committees' systems in Europe. It is important to comprehend the individual national systems to understand the problems they are facing.

Effect of systemic vitamin C on free fatty acid-induced lipid peroxidation.

OBJECTIVES: Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), a reactive product of lipid peroxidation, may be influenced by anti-oxidant therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate if elevated MDA as induced by increased free fatty acids (FFA) correlates with endothelial function and is affected by high doses of vitamin C. METHODS: The study design was randomised, placebo-controlled, double blind, 2-way cross over. Plasma MDA concentrations and forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to intra-arterial acetylcholine (ACh) and glyceryl trinitrate were assessed during co-administration of vitamin C or placebo in the presence of increased plasma FFA by Intralipid/heparin infusion in 10 healthy male subjects. RESULTS: The seven-fold rise in plasma FFA was associated with an increase in plasma MDA concentrations (r=0.7, p<0.001) and decreased FBF responses to ACh (r=-0.4, p<0.01). Co-administration of vitamin C restored the impaired reactivity of FBF to ACh but had no effect on elevated MDA concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-oxidant vitamin C improves lipid-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation, but does not alter MDA formation or breakdown.

Health related quality of life in patients with long-standing insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus: benefits of regular physical training.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Regular exercise is recommended to diabetic patients in addition to dietary restrictions and drug therapy. We have studied whether health related quality of life (HRQOL) can be improved by a regular physical training program. METHODS: 23 otherwise healthy patients with history of type 1 diabetes for 20 +/- 10 years were included. 15 patients (age: 41 +/- 2 years) participated in an aerobic physical training program over 4 months and 8 patients (33 +/- 11 years) served as a control group. HRQOL was assessed by a validated questionnaire (MOS SF-36). Tests were carried out at baseline and after 4 months. RESULTS: Physical training increased peak oxygen uptake (VO2max) by 27 +/- 13% after 4 months (p = 0.04) in the training group. There was no significant change in hand or leg isometric muscle strength. All HRQOL scales improved in the training group with significantly higher (p < 0.04) Social Functioning and Vitality scores, respectively. Moreover, insulin requirements decreased during physical training program (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that physical exercise training in patients with type I diabetes mellitus improves metabolic control and various aspects of HRQOL. Besides enhanced cardiorespiratory capacity, this is an important subjective benefit in patients with longstanding insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus.

Research ethics committees in Europe: trials and tribulations.

INTRODUCTION: Ethics committees have been an integral part of clinical research since 1975, when they were introduced through the amendment of the Declaration of Helsinki. Every proposal for clinical research on human subjects has to be submitted to an independent ethics committee for review and approval. The European Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC was implemented in 2004 to harmonise the legislative framework for clinical research in Europe in order to make Europe more competitive in clinical research while at the same time improving the protection of research participants. RESULTS: We have evaluated the situation of ethics committees in Europe five years after the implementation of the new law with special consideration of the number of Ethics Committees per European Member State and the number of members within the specific committees, including the selection of members, also in regard to gender aspects and training requirements, the remuneration or compensation of members in regard of their review obligations, and also issues of conflicts of interest. CONCLUSION: Inadequate remuneration for professional services and gender imbalance are universal concerns across Europe. As the position of ethics committees changes continuously towards greater responsibility, further guidance is needed to uniformly adapt their structures to those needs.

Pioglitazone does not affect vascular or inflammatory responses after endotoxemia in humans.

PPARgamma agonists have been proposed to exert more than metabolic benefits, particularly by anti-inflammatory mechanisms. We hypothesized that pioglitazone might modulate inflammatory and vascular responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In a placebo-controlled parallel-group study in 18 healthy male subjects, the E. coli endotoxin model of inflammation (20 IU/kg i. v.) was employed to test the effect of 60 mg pioglitazone over nine days on inflammatory cytokines. Macrovascular function and microvascular blood flow were assessed by brachial artery ultrasound and retinal blood flow parameters, respectively. Pioglitazone increased brachial artery diameter by 5.6% but had no effect on other outcome parameters under resting conditions. LPS increased cytokine levels to peak concentrations of 91.3+/-22.5 ng/ml (IL-6), 261.4+/-60.0 ng/ml (TNFalpha), and 524.5+/-15.3 ng/ml (VCAM-1). The endotoxin caused microvascular vasodilation and increased retinal white blood cell flux, while baseline brachial artery diameter remained unchanged. Pioglitazone had no effect on inflammatory cytokine or adhesion molecule release but mitigated LPS-induced hypotension (p<0.05). Neither brachial artery function nor microvascular blood flow was altered by pioglitazone. In conclusion, acute immune reactions to LPS are not affected by pioglitazone, which exerts subtle vascular effects alone and during endotoxemia. The anti-inflammatory properties of short-term pioglitazone to endotoxins in healthy subjects are therefore limited.

Free fatty acids do not acutely increase asymmetrical dimethylarginine concentrations.

Concentrations of asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) and free fatty acids (FFAs) are elevated in insulin resistance which is associated with impaired vascular function. We hypothesized that FFAs could alter vascular tone by affecting ADMA concentrations. Plasma FFA levels were increased in seventeen healthy male volunteers by Intralipid/heparin infusion; hemodynamic and biochemical parameters were measured after 90 minutes. Plasma collected before and during Intralipid/heparin or equivalent synthetic FFAs was incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Intralipid/heparin infusion resulted in an approximately seven-fold increase in plasma FFA levels to 1861 +/- 139 micromol/l, which was paralleled by increased systemic blood pressure and forearm blood flow. Intralipid/heparin did not affect ADMA (baseline mean 0.59 [95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.54; 0.64] and 0.56 [CI: 0.51; 0.59] after 90 minutes), but slightly decreased SDMA (from 0.76, [CI: 0.70; 0.83] to 0.71 [CI: 0.64; 0.74], p < 0.05), and had no effect on ADMA/SDMA ratio. There was no correlation between ADMA and FFA concentrations or forearm blood flow. Incubation of HUVECs with FFA-rich plasma or synthetic FFAs induced an ADMA release after 24 hours, but not after 90 minutes. Acutely increased FFA levels caused hemodynamic effects but did not affect ADMA. Prolonged elevation of FFA levels might influence vascular function by increasing ADMA levels.

Marked increase in vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations during Escherichia coli endotoxin-induced acute inflammation in humans.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial endotoxins can induce the synthesis and release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which may alter vascular permeability and cause vascular leakage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of acute systemic inflammation on VEGF concentration was measured in healthy males after an intravenous bolus infusion of Escherichia coli endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS, 20 IU kg-1) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study. LPS administration was followed by an infusion of lepirudin (bolus 0.1 mg kg-1, continuous infusion of 0.1 mg kg-1 h-1, n = 12) or saline (n = 12). RESULTS: Plasma VEGF increased from a mean of 15.1 pg mL-1 to 74.6 pg mL-1 5 h after LPS (P < 0.003). Body temperature, pulse rate, leukcytes, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) and lactoferrin increased and platelets decreased after LPS (P < 0.05). The LPS-induced increase in VEGF was paralleled by the neutrophil cell degranulation marker lactoferrin but not by F1 + 2, and was not affected by lepirudin, which blunted F1 + 2 formation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation-induced activation of leukcytes rather than platelets plays a role in the marked increase in VEGF, which cannot be abrogated by antithrombotic therapy.

Ocular hyperperfusion following onset of intensified insulin therapy is inversely correlated with plasma endothelin-1 in Type I diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: It has been reported that improvement of metabolic control by intensified insulin therapy in patients with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus is associated with alterations in ocular blood flow. We hypothesized that these changes in ocular blood flow could be associated with alterations of plasma insulin, glucose or endothelin concentration. METHODS: In 16 patients with Type I diabetes ocular haemodynamic parameters were assessed daily during the first 5 days of institution of intensified insulin therapy and plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, and endothelin-1 plasma were measured. Retinal white blood cell flux was estimated with the blue field entoptic technique. Pulsatile choroidal blood flow was assessed by laser interferometric measurement of fundus pulsation amplitude. RESULTS: Retinal white blood cell flux ( p=0.0015) and ocular fundus pulsation amplitude ( p<0.001) increased during institution of strict metabolic control. Changes in ocular haemodynamic variables were inversely correlated with concentrations of plasma ET-1, but not with that of insulin or glucose. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These data indicate that institution of improved metabolic status is paralleled by rapid changes in the production of ET-1, which could in turn affect ocular perfusion.

Endothelin ETA receptor-subtype specific antagonism does not mitigate the acute systemic or renal effects of exogenous angiotensin II in humans.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II (Ang II) is assumed to play a pathophysiological role in a variety of vascular diseases. Animal studies indicate that these effects are partly attributed to stimulation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) release. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the acute effects of Ang II on systemic and renal haemodynamics in healthy subjects can be influenced by endothelin ET(A)-receptor blockade. DESIGN: The study design was balanced, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, two-way cross-over, in 10 healthy male subjects. METHODS: Subjects received stepwise increasing intravenous doses of Ang II (0.65, 1.25, 2.5, 5 ng kg(-1) min(-1) for 15 min per dose level) in the presence or absence of BQ-123 (60 microg min(-1)), a specific ETA-receptor antagonist. Renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were assessed by the para-aminohippurate and inulin plasma clearance method, respectively. Renal vascular resistance (RVR) was calculated from mean arterial pressure (MAP) and renal plasma flow. RESULTS: Ang II decreased RPF by 34% and GFR by 9% and increased RVR by 94% and MAP by 27% (ANOVA, P < 0.001 vs. baseline, for all parameters). BQ-123 did not alter these renal and systemic haemodynamic responses to a significant degree. In addition, BQ-123 had no significant haemodynamic effect under baseline conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term increase of circulating Ang II levels causes systemic and renal pressor effects, which are not mitigated by endothelin ETA-receptor blockade. This suggests that the pressor response to Ang II cannot be accounted for by the acute release of vasoactive ET-1.

Hypercapnia-induced cerebral and ocular vasodilation is not altered by glibenclamide in humans.

Carbon dioxide is an important regulator of vascular tone. Glibenclamide, an inhibitor of ATP-sensitive potassium channel (K(ATP)) activation, significantly blunts vasodilation in response to hypercapnic acidosis in animals. We investigated whether glibenclamide also alters the cerebral and ocular vasodilator response to hypercapnia in humans. Ten healthy male subjects were studied in a controlled, randomized, double-blind two-way crossover study under normoxic and hypercapnic conditions. Glibenclamide (5 mg po) or insulin (0.3 mU. kg(-1). min(-1) iv) were administered with glucose to achieve comparable plasma insulin levels. In control experiments, five healthy volunteers received glibenclamide (5 mg) or nicorandil (40 mg) or glibenclamide and nicorandil in a randomized, three-way crossover study. Mean blood flow velocity and resistive index in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and in the ophthalmic artery (OA) were measured with Doppler sonography. Pulsatile choroidal blood flow was assessed with laser interferometric measurement of fundus pulsation. Forearm blood flow was measured with venous occlusion plethysmography. Hypercapnia increased ocular fundus pulsation amplitude by +18.2-22.3% (P < 0. 001) and mean flow velocity in the MCA by +27.4-33.3% (P < 0.001), but not in the OA (2.1-6.5%, P = 0.2). Forearm blood flow increased by 78.2% vs. baseline (P = 0.041) after nicorandil administration. Glibenclamide did not alter hypercapnia-induced changes in cerebral or ocular hemodynamics and did not affect systemic hemodynamics or forearm blood flow but significantly increased glucose utilization and blunted the nicorandil-induced vasodilation in the forearm. This suggests that hypercapnia-induced changes in the vascular beds under study are not mediated by activation of K(ATP) channels in humans.