The effect of blood glucose on the vasculature in young patients with type 1 diabetes

Background. Patients with type 1 diabetes are at markedly increased risk of vascular complications. In this respect it is noteworthy that hyperglycaemia that is shown to cause endothelial dysfunction, has clearly been shown to be a risk factor for diabetic microvascular disease. However, the role of hyperglycaemia as a predictor of macrovascular disease is not as clear as for microvascular disease, although type 1 diabetes itself increases the risk of cardiovascular disease substantially. Furthermore, it is not known whether it is the short-term or the long-term hyperglycaemia that confers possible risk. In addition, the role of glucose variability as a predictor of complications is to a large extent unexplored. Interestingly, although hyperglycaemia increases the risk of pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes, it is unclear whether pre-eclampsia, a condition characterized by endothelial dysfunction, is also a risk factor for microvascular complication, diabetic nephropathy. Aims. This doctoral thesis investigated the role of acute hyperglycaemia and glucose variability on arterial stiffness and cardiac ventricular repolarisation in male patients with type 1 diabetes as well as in healthy male volunteers. The thesis also explored whether acute hyperglycaemia leads to an inflammatory response, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Finally, the role of pre-eclampsia, as a predictor of diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetes was examined. Subjects and methods. In order to study glucose variability and the daily glycaemic control, 22 male patients with type 1 diabetes, without any diabetic complications, were monitored for 72-h with a continuous glucose monitoring system. At the end of the 72-h glucose monitoring period a 2-h hyperglycaemic clamp was performed both in the patients with type 1 diabetes and in the 13 healthy age-matched male volunteers. Blood pressure, arterial stiffness and QT time were measured to detect vascular changes during acute hyperglycaemia. Blood samples were drawn at baseline (normoglycaemia) and during acute hyperglycaemia. In another patient sample, women with type 1 diabetes were followed during their pregnancy and restudied eleven years later to elucidate the role of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension as potential risk factors for diabetic nephropathy. Results and conclusions. Acute hyperglycaemia increased arterial stiffness as well as caused a disturbance in the myocardial ventricular repolarisation, emphasizing the importance of a strict daily glycaemic control in male patients with type 1 diabetes. An inflammatory response was also observed during acute hyperglycaemia. Furthermore, a high mean daily blood glucose but not glucose variability per se is associated with arterial stiffness. While glucose variability in turn correlated with central blood pressure, the results suggest that the glucose metabolism is closely linked to the haemodynamic changes in male patients with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes. Notably, the results are not directly applicable to females. Finally, a history of a pre-eclamptic pregnancy, but not pregnancy-induced hypertension was associated with increased risk of diabetic nephropathy.

Pharmacokinetic interactions of pioglitazone

Pioglitazone is a thiazolidinedione compound used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It has been reported to be metabolised by multiple cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, including CYP2C8, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 in vitro. The aims of this work were to identify the CYP enzymes mainly responsible for the elimination of pioglitazone in order to evaluate its potential for in vivo drug interactions, and to investigate the effects of CYP2C8- and CYP3A4-inhibiting drugs (gemfibrozil, montelukast, zafirlukast and itraconazole) on the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone in healthy volunteers. In addition, the effect of induction of CYP enzymes on the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone in healthy volunteers was investigated, with rifampicin as a model inducer. Finally, the effect of pioglitazone on CYP2C8 and CYP3A enzyme activity was examined in healthy volunteers using repaglinide as a model substrate. Study I was conducted in vitro using pooled human liver microsomes (HLM) and human recombinant CYP isoforms. Studies II to V were randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over studies with 2-4 phases each. A total of 10-12 healthy volunteers participated in each study. Pretreatment with clinically relevant doses with the inhibitor or inducer was followed by a single dose of pioglitazone or repaglinide, whereafter blood and urine samples were collected for the determination of drug concentrations. In vitro, the elimination of pioglitazone (1 µM) by HLM was markedly inhibited, in particular by CYP2C8 inhibitors, but also by CYP3A4 inhibitors. Of the recombinant CYP isoforms, CYP2C8 metabolised pioglitazone markedly, and CYP3A4 also had a significant effect. All of the tested CYP2C8 inhibitors (montelukast, zafirlukast, trimethoprim and gemfibrozil) concentration-dependently inhibited pioglitazone metabolism in HLM. In humans, gemfibrozil raised the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of pioglitazone 3.2-fold (P < 0.001) and prolonged its elimination half-life (t½) from 8.3 to 22.7 hours (P < 0.001), but had no significant effect on its peak concentration (Cmax) compared with placebo. Gemfibrozil also increased the excretion of pioglitazone into urine and reduced the ratios of the active metabolites M-IV and M-III to pioglitazone in plasma and urine. Itraconazole had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone and did not alter the effect of gemfibrozil on pioglitazone pharmacokinetics. Rifampicin decreased the AUC of pioglitazone by 54% (P < 0.001) and shortened its dominant t½ from 4.9 to 2.3 hours (P < 0.001). No significant effect on Cmax was observed. Rifampicin also decreased the AUC of the metabolites M-IV and M-III, shortened their t½ and increased the ratios of the metabolite to pioglitazone in plasma and urine. Montelukast and zafirlukast did not affect the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone. The pharmacokinetics of repaglinide remained unaffected by pioglitazone. These studies demonstrate the principal role of CYP2C8 in the metabolism of pioglitazone in humans. Gemfibrozil, an inhibitor of CYP2C8, increases and rifampicin, an inducer of CYP2C8 and other CYP enzymes, decreases the plasma concentrations of pioglitazone, which can necessitate blood glucose monitoring and adjustment of pioglitazone dosage. Montelukast and zafirlukast had no effects on the pharmacokinetics of pioglitazone, indicating that their inhibitory effect on CYP2C8 is negligible in vivo. Pioglitazone did not increase the plasma concentrations of repaglinide, indicating that its inhibitory effect on CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 is very weak in vivo.

Pharmacokinetic interactions affecting the antidiabetic repaglinide

Introduction Repaglinide is a short-acting drug, used to reduce postprandial hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients. Repaglinide is extensively metabolised, and its oral bioavailability is about 60%; its metabolites are mainly excreted into bile. In previous studies, the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibitors itraconazole and clarithromycin have moderately increased the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of repaglinide. Gemfibrozil, a CYP2C8 inhibitor, has greatly increased repaglinide AUC, enhancing and prolonging its blood glucose-lowering effect. Rifampicin has decreased the AUC and effects of repaglinide. Aims The aims of this work were to investigate the contribution of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 to the metabolism of repaglinide, and to study other potential drug interactions affecting the pharmacokinetics of repaglinide, and the mechanisms of observed interactions. Methods The metabolism of repaglinide was studied in vitro using recombinant human CYP enzymes and pooled human liver microsomes (HLM). The effect of trimethoprim, cyclosporine, bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, and rifampicin on the metabolism of repaglinide, and the effect of fibrates and rifampicin on the activity of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 were investigated in vitro. Randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over studies were carried out in healthy human volunteers to investigate the effect of bezafibrate, fenofibrate, trimethoprim, cyclosporine, telithromycin, montelukast and pioglitazone on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of repaglinide. Pretreatment with clinically relevant doses of the study drug or placebo was followed by a single dose of repaglinide, after which blood and urine samples were collected to determine pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters. Results In vitro, the contribution of CYP2C8 was similar to that of CYP3A4 in the metabolism of repaglinide (< 2 μM). Bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, and rifampicin moderately inhibited CYP2C8 and repaglinide metabolism, but only rifampicin inhibited CYP3A4 in vitro. Bezafibrate, fenofibrate, montelukast, and pioglitazone had no effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of repaglinide in vivo. The CYP2C8 inhibitor trimethoprim inhibited repaglinide metabolism by HLM in vitro and increased repaglinide AUC by 61% in vivo (P < .001). The CYP3A4 inhibitor telithromycin increased repaglinide AUC 1.8-fold (P < .001) and enhanced its blood glucose-lowering effect in vivo. Cyclosporine inhibited the CYP3A4-mediated (but not CYP2C8-mediated) metabolism of repaglinide in vitro and increased repaglinide AUC 2.4-fold in vivo (P < .001). The effect of cyclosporine on repaglinide AUC in vivo correlated with the SLCO1B1 (encoding organic anion transporting polypeptide 1, OATP1B1) genotype. Conclusions The relative contributions of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 to the metabolism of repaglinide are similar in vitro, when therapeutic repaglinide concentrations are used. In vivo, repaglinide AUC was considerably increased by inhibition of both CYP2C8 (by trimethoprim) and CYP3A4 (by telithromycin). Cyclosporine raised repaglinide AUC even higher, probably by inhibiting the CYP3A4-mediated biotransformation and OATP1B1-mediated hepatic uptake of repaglinide. Bezafibrate, fenofibrate, montelukast, and pioglitazone had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of repaglinide, suggesting that they do not significantly inhibit CYP2C8 or CYP3A4 in vivo. Coadministration of drugs that inhibit CYP2C8, CYP3A4 or OATP1B1 may increase the plasma concentrations and blood glucose-lowering effect of repaglinide, requiring closer monitoring of blood glucose concentrations to avoid hypoglycaemia, and adjustment of repaglinide dosage as necessary.

Effects of Metabolic Risk Factors and Type 1 Diabetes on Brain Glucose and Brain Metabolites

The metabolic syndrome and type 1 diabetes are associated with brain alterations such as cognitive decline brain infarctions, atrophy, and white matter lesions. Despite the importance of these alterations, their pathomechanism is still poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate brain glucose and metabolites in healthy individuals with an increased cardiovascular risk and in patients with type 1 diabetes in order to discover more information on the nature of the known brain alterations. We studied 43 20- to 45-year-old men. Study I compared two groups of non-diabetic men, one with an accumulation of cardiovascular risk factors and another without. Studies II to IV compared men with type 1 diabetes (duration of diabetes 6.7 ± 5.2 years, no microvascular complications) with non-diabetic men. Brain glucose, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (tCr), choline, and myo-inositol (mI) were quantified with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in three cerebral regions: frontal cortex, frontal white matter, thalamus, and in cerebellar white matter. Data collection was performed for all participants during fasting glycemia and in a subgroup (Studies III and IV), also during a hyperglycemic clamp that increased plasma glucose concentration by 12 mmol/l. In non-diabetic men, the brain glucose concentration correlated linearly with plasma glucose concentration. The cardiovascular risk group (Study I) had a 13% higher plasma glucose concentration than the control group, but no difference in thalamic glucose content. The risk group thus had lower thalamic glucose content than expected. They also had 17% increased tCr (marker of oxidative metabolism). In the control group, tCr correlated with thalamic glucose content, but in the risk group, tCr correlated instead with fasting plasma glucose and 2-h plasma glucose concentration in the oral glucose tolerance test. Risk factors of the metabolic syndrome, most importantly insulin resistance, may thus influence brain metabolism. During fasting glycemia (Study II), regional variation in the cerebral glucose levels appeared in the non-diabetic subjects but not in those with diabetes. In diabetic patients, excess glucose had accumulated predominantly in the white matter where the metabolite alterations were also the most pronounced. Compared to the controls values, the white matter NAA (marker of neuronal metabolism) was 6% lower and mI (glia cell marker) 20% higher. Hyperglycemia is therefore a potent risk factor for diabetic brain disease and the metabolic brain alterations may appear even before any peripheral microvascular complications are detectable. During acute hyperglycemia (Study III), the increase in cerebral glucose content in the patients with type 1 diabetes was, dependent on brain region, between 1.1 and 2.0 mmol/l. An every-day hyperglycemic episode in a diabetic patient may therefore as much as double brain glucose concentration. While chronic hyperglycemia had led to accumulation of glucose in the white matter, acute hyperglycemia burdened predominantly the gray matter. Acute hyperglycemia also revealed that chronic fluctuation in blood glucose may be associated with alterations in glucose uptake or in metabolism in the thalamus. The cerebellar white matter appeared very differently from the cerebral (Study IV). In the non-diabetic men it contained twice as much glucose as the cerebrum. Diabetes had altered neither its glucose content nor the brain metabolites. The cerebellum seems therefore more resistant to the effects of hyperglycemia than is the cerebrum.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention - emphasis on dietary composition and identification of high-risk individuals

Type 2 diabetes is an increasing, serious, and costly public health problem. The increase in the prevalence of the disease can mainly be attributed to changing lifestyles leading to physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity. These lifestyle-related risk factors offer also a possibility for preventive interventions. Until recently, proper evidence regarding the prevention of type 2 diabetes has been virtually missing. To be cost-effective, intensive interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes should be directed to people at an increased risk of the disease. The aim of this series of studies was to investigate whether type 2 diabetes can be prevented by lifestyle intervention in high-risk individuals, and to develop a practical method to identify individuals who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes and would benefit from such an intervention. To study the effect of lifestyle intervention on diabetes risk, we recruited 522 volunteer, middle-aged (aged 40 - 64 at baseline), overweight (body mass index > 25 kg/m2) men (n = 172) and women (n = 350) with impaired glucose tolerance to the Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS). The participants were randomly allocated either to the intensive lifestyle intervention group or the control group. The control group received general dietary and exercise advice at baseline, and had annual physician's examination. The participants in the intervention group received, in addition, individualised dietary counselling by a nutritionist. They were also offered circuit-type resistance training sessions and were advised to increase overall physical activity. The intervention goals were to reduce body weight (5% or more reduction from baseline weight), limit dietary fat (< 30% of total energy consumed) and saturated fat (< 10% of total energy consumed), and to increase dietary fibre intake (15 g / 1000 kcal or more) and physical activity (≥ 30 minutes/day). Diabetes status was assessed annually by a repeated 75 g oral glucose tolerance testing. First analysis on end-points was completed after a mean follow-up of 3.2 years, and the intervention phase was terminated after a mean duration of 3.9 years. After that, the study participants continued to visit the study clinics for the annual examinations, for a mean of 3 years. The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in each intervention goal. After 1 and 3 years, mean weight reductions were 4.5 and 3.5 kg in the intervention group and 1.0 kg and 0.9 kg in the control group. Cardiovascular risk factors improved more in the intervention group. After a mean follow-up of 3.2 years, the risk of diabetes was reduced by 58% in the intervention group compared with the control group. The reduction in the incidence of diabetes was directly associated with achieved lifestyle goals. Furthermore, those who consumed moderate-fat, high-fibre diet achieved the largest weight reduction and, even after adjustment for weight reduction, the lowest diabetes risk during the intervention period. After discontinuation of the counselling, the differences in lifestyle variables between the groups still remained favourable for the intervention group. During the post-intervention follow-up period of 3 years, the risk of diabetes was still 36% lower among the former intervention group participants, compared with the former control group participants. To develop a simple screening tool to identify individuals who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes, follow-up data of two population-based cohorts of 35-64 year old men and women was used. The National FINRISK Study 1987 cohort (model development data) included 4435 subjects, with 182 new drug-treated cases of diabetes identified during ten years, and the FINRISK Study 1992 cohort (model validation data) included 4615 subjects, with 67 new cases of drug-treated diabetes during five years, ascertained using the Social Insurance Institution's Drug register. Baseline age, body mass index, waist circumference, history of antihypertensive drug treatment and high blood glucose, physical activity and daily consumption of fruits, berries or vegetables were selected into the risk score as categorical variables. In the 1987 cohort the optimal cut-off point of the risk score identified 78% of those who got diabetes during the follow-up (= sensitivity of the test) and 77% of those who remained free of diabetes (= specificity of the test). In the 1992 cohort the risk score performed equally well. The final Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) form includes, in addition to the predictors of the model, a question about family history of diabetes and the age category of over 64 years. When applied to the DPS population, the baseline FINDRISC value was associated with diabetes risk among the control group participants only, indicating that the intensive lifestyle intervention given to the intervention group participants abolished the diabetes risk associated with baseline risk factors. In conclusion, the intensive lifestyle intervention produced long-term beneficial changes in diet, physical activity, body weight, and cardiovascular risk factors, and reduced diabetes risk. Furthermore, the effects of the intervention were sustained after the intervention was discontinued. The FINDRISC proved to be a simple, fast, inexpensive, non-invasive, and reliable tool to identify individuals at high risk of type 2 diabetes. The use of FINDRISC to identify high-risk subjects, followed by lifestyle intervention, provides a feasible scheme in preventing type 2 diabetes, which could be implemented in the primary health care system.

Studies on CYP2C8-mediated drug interactions

Useiden lääkkeiden yhtäaikainen käyttö on nykyään hyvin yleistä, mikä lisää lääkeaineiden haitallisten yhteisvaikutusten riskiä. Lääkeaineiden poistumisessa elimistöstä ovat tärkeässä osassa niitä hajottavat (metaboloivat) maksan sytokromi P450 (CYP) entsyymit. Vasta aivan viime vuosina on havaittu, että CYP2C8-entsyymillä voi olla tärkeä merkitys mm. lääkeaineyhteisvaikutuksissa. Eräät lääkeaineet voivat estää (inhiboida) CYP2C8-entsyymin kautta tapahtuvaa metaboliaa. Tässä työssä selvitettiin CYP2C8-entsyymiä estävien lääkkeiden vaikutusta sellaisten lääkeaineiden pitoisuuksiin, joiden aikaisemman tiedon perusteella arveltiin metaboloituvan CYP2C8-välitteisesti. Näiden lääkeaineiden metaboliaa tutkittiin myös koeputkiolosuhteissa (in vitro -menetelmillä). Lisäksi CYP2C8-entsyymiä estävän lipidilääke gemfibrotsiilin yhteisvaikutusmekanismia tutkittiin selvittämällä interaktion säilymistä koehenkilöillä gemfibrotsiilin annostelun lopettamisen jälkeen. Yhteisvaikutuksia tutkittiin terveillä vapaaehtoisilla koehenkilöillä käyttäen vaihtovuoroista koeasetelmaa. Koehenkilöille annettiin CYP2C8-entsyymiä estävää lääkitystä muutaman päivän ajan ja tämän jälkeen kerta-annos tutkimuslääkettä. Koehenkilöiltä otettiin useita verinäytteitä, joista määritettiin lääkepitoisuudet nestekromatografisilla tai massaspektrometrisillä menetelmillä. Gemfibrotsiili nosti ripulilääke loperamidin pitoisuudet keskimäärin kaksinkertaiseksi. Gemfibrotsiili lisäsi, mutta vain hieman, kipulääke ibuprofeenin pitoisuuksia, eikä sillä ollut mitään vaikutusta unilääke tsopiklonin pitoisuuksiin toisin kuin aiemman kirjallisuuden perusteella oli odotettavissa. Toinen CYP2C8-estäjä, mikrobilääke trimetopriimi, nosti diabeteslääke pioglitatsonin pitoisuuksia keskimäärin noin 40 %. Gemfibrotsiili nosti diabeteslääke repaglinidin pitoisuudet 7-kertaiseksi ja tämä yhteisvaikutus säilyi lähes yhtä voimakkaana vielä 12 tunnin päähän viimeisestä gemfibrotsiiliannoksesta. Tehdyt havainnot ovat käytännön lääkehoidon kannalta merkittäviä ja ne selvittävät CYP2C8-entsyymin merkitystä useiden lääkkeiden metaboliassa. Gemfibrotsiilin tai muiden CYP2C8-entsyymiä estävien lääkkeiden yhteiskäyttö loperamidin kanssa voi lisätä loperamidin tehoa tai haittavaikutuksia. Toisaalta CYP2C8-entsyymin osuus tsopiklonin ja ibuprofeenin metaboliassa näyttää olevan pieni. Trimetopriimi nosti kohtalaisesti pioglitatsonin pitoisuuksia, ja kyseisten lääkkeiden yhteiskäyttö voi lisätä pioglitatsonin annosriippuvaisia haittavaikutuksia. Gemfibrotsiili-repaglinidi-yhteisvaikutuksen päämekanismi in vivo näyttää olevan CYP2C8-entsyymin palautumaton esto. Tämän vuoksi gemfibrotsiilin estovaikutus ja yhteisvaikutusriski säilyvät pitkään gemfibrotsiilin annostelun lopettamisen jälkeen, mikä tulee ottaa huomioon käytettäessä sitä CYP2C8-välitteisesti metaboloituvien lääkkeiden kanssa.

Effects of SLCO1B1 polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of the oral antidiabetic drugs repaglinide, nateglinide, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone

Organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1), encoded by the SLCO1B1 gene, is an influx transporter expressed on the sinusoidal membrane of human hepatocytes. The common c.521T>C (p.Val174Ala) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the SLCO1B1 gene has been associated with reduced OATP1B1 transport activity in vitro and increased plasma concentrations of several of its substrate drugs in vivo in humans. Another common SNP of the SLCO1B1 gene, c.388A>G (p.Asn130Asp), defining the SLCO1B1*1B (c.388G-c.521T) haplotype, has been associated with increased OATP1B1 transport activity in vitro. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of SLCO1B1 polymorphism in the pharmacokinetics of the oral antidiabetic drugs repaglinide, nateglinide, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone. Furthermore, the effect of the SLCO1B1 c.521T>C SNP on the extent of interaction between gemfibrozil and repaglinide as well as the role of the SLCO1B1 c.521T>C SNP in the potential interaction between atorvastatin and repaglinide were evaluated. Five crossover studies with 2-4 phases were carried out, with 20-32 healthy volunteers in each study. The effects of the SLCO1B1 c.521T>C SNP on single doses of repaglinide, nateglinide, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone were investigated in Studies I and V. In Study II, the effects of the c.521T>C SNP on repaglinide pharmacokinetics were investigated in a dose-escalation study, with repaglinide doses ranging from 0.25 to 2 mg. The effects of the SLCO1B1*1B/*1B genotype on repaglinide and nateglinide pharmacokinetics were investigated in Study III. In Study IV, the interactions of gemfibrozil and atorvastatin with repaglinide were evaluated in relation to the c.521T>C SNP. Plasma samples were collected for drug concentration determinations. The pharmacodynamics of repaglinide and nateglinide was assessed by measuring blood glucose concentrations. The mean area under the plasma repaglinide concentration-time curve (AUC) was ~70% larger in SLCO1B1 c.521CC participants than in c.521TT participants (P ≤ 0.001), but no differences existed in the pharmacokinetics of nateglinide, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone between the two genotype groups. In the dose-escalation study, the AUC of repaglinide was 60-110% (P ≤ 0.001) larger in c.521CC participants than in c.521TT participants after different repaglinide doses. Moreover, the AUC of repaglinide increased linearly with repaglinide dose in both genotype groups (r > 0.88, P 0.001). The AUC of repaglinide was ~30% lower in SLCO1B1*1B/*1B participants than in SLCO1B1*1A/*1A (c.388AA-c.521TT) participants (P = 0.007), but no differences existed in the AUC of nateglinide between the two genotype groups. In the drug-drug interaction study, the mean increase in the repaglinide AUC by gemfibrozil was ~50% (P = 0.002) larger in c.521CC participants than in c.521TT participants, but the relative (7-8-fold) increases in the repaglinide AUC did not differ significantly between the genotype groups. In c.521TT participants, atorvastatin increased repaglinide peak plasma concentration and AUC by ~40% (P = 0.001) and ~20% (P = 0.033), respectively. In each study, after repaglinide administration, there was a tendency towards lower blood glucose concentrations in c.521CC participants than in c.521TT participants. In conclusion, the SLCO1B1 c.521CC genotype is associated with increased and the SLCO1B1*1B/*1B genotype with decreased plasma concentrations of repaglinide, consistent with reduced and enhanced hepatic uptake, respectively. Inhibition of OATP1B1 plays a limited role in the interaction between gemfibrozil and repaglinide. Atorvastatin slightly raises plasma repaglinide concentrations, probably by inhibiting OATP1B1. The findings on the effect of SLCO1B1 polymorphism on the pharmacokinetics of the drugs studied suggest that in vivo in humans OATP1B1 significantly contributes to the hepatic uptake of repaglinide, but not to that of nateglinide, rosiglitazone, or pioglitazone. SLCO1B1 polymorphism may be associated with clinically significant differences in blood glucose-lowering response to repaglinide, but probably has no effect on the response to nateglinide, rosiglitazone, or pioglitazone.

Improving outcome of childhood bacterial meningitis by simplified treatment : Experience from Angola

Background Acute bacterial meningitis (BM) continues to be an important cause of childhood mortality and morbidity, especially in developing countries. Prognostic scales and the identification of risk factors for adverse outcome both aid in assessing disease severity. New antimicrobial agents or adjunctive treatments - except for oral glycerol - have essentially failed to improve BM prognosis. A retrospective observational analysis found paracetamol beneficial in adult bacteraemic patients, and some experts recommend slow β-lactam infusion. We examined these treatments in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients and methods A retrospective analysis included 555 children treated for BM in 2004 in the infectious disease ward of the Paediatric Hospital of Luanda, Angola. Our prospective study randomised 723 children into four groups, to receive a combination of cefotaxime infusion or boluses every 6 hours for the first 24 hours and oral paracetamol or placebo for 48 hours. The primary endpoints were 1) death or severe neurological sequelae (SeNeSe), and 2) deafness. Results In the retrospective study, the mortality of children with blood transfusion was 23% (30 of 128) vs. without blood transfusion 39% (109 of 282; p=0.004). In the prospective study, 272 (38%) of the children died. Of those 451 surviving, 68 (15%) showed SeNeSe, and 12% (45 of 374) were deaf. Whereas no difference between treatment groups was observable in primary endpoints, the early mortality in the infusion-paracetamol group was lower, with the difference (Fisher s exact test) from the other groups at 24, 48, and 72 hours being significant (p=0.041, 0.0005, and 0.005, respectively). Prognostic factors for adverse outcomes were impaired consciousness, dyspnoea, seizures, delayed presentation, and absence of electricity at home (Simple Luanda Scale, SLS); the Bayesian Luanda Scale (BLS) also included abnormally low or high blood glucose. Conclusions New studies concerning the possible beneficial effect of blood transfusion, and concerning longer treatment with cefotaxime infusion and oral paracetamol, and a study to validate our simple prognostic scales are warranted.