THE EFFECTS OF DEXFENFLURAMINE ON BLOOD-GLUCOSE CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2 DIABETES

Dexfenfluramine has been shown to promote weight loss in overweight people. The present double-blind study was designed to test whether the addition of dexfenfluramine to conventional oral hypoglycaemic treatment would promote weight loss and improve blood glucose control in overweight patients with Type 2 diabetes. The 34 patients studied were randomly assigned to dexfenfluramine or placebo therapy which was added for 12 weeks to their existing treatment regimens of metformin with or without a sulphonylurea. Dexfenfluramine treatment was associated with a significant reduction in weight (98.7 +/- 5.0 (+/- SE) vs 94.9 +/- 5.2 kg; p < 0.001), BMI (35.0 +/- 1.2 vs 33.6 +/- 1.9 kg m-2; p < 0.001), HbA1c (7.5 +/- 0.3 vs 6.3 +/- 0.2 %; p < 0.001), fructosamine (313.9 +/- 17.6 vs 274.3 +/- 10.4-mu-mol l-1; p < 0.01), systolic (137 +/- 5 vs 128 +/- 6 mmHg; p < 0.05), and diastolic blood pressure (85 +/- 2 vs 73 +/- 3 mmHg; p < 0.001). At the end of the study period, the dexfenfluramine treated group had a significantly lower HbA1c (6.3 +/- 0.2 vs 7.2 +/- 0.4; p < 0.05), fructosamine level (274.3 +/- 10.4 vs 313.3 +/- 16.1-mu-mol l-1; p < 0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (73 +/- 3 vs 81 +/- 3 mmHg; p < 0.03) when compared with the placebo group. In those patients treated with dexfenfluramine, the reduction in HbA1c and blood pressure did not correlate with the decrease in BMI (r = 0.44 and 0.12, respectively). Dexfenfluramine is a valuable adjunct to the treatment of the overweight patient with Type 2 diabetes.