Inhibitory effect of ibudilast on urinary albumin excretion in type 2 diabetes mellitus with microalbuminuria

To evaluate the clinical effect of ibudilast, a prostacyclin-mediated vasodilator and antiplatelet agent, on diabetic nephropathy, 8 nonhypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus DM; 4 men and 4 women, mean age: 58.9 +/- 11.4 years, duration of diabetes: 16.9 +/- 3.2 years) with microalbuminuria [20-200 mg/g creatinine (Cr)] were administered ibudilast (30 mg/day) for 18 months (ibudilast group). The urinary albumin excretion index UAE, mg albumin/g Cr) was compared with 8 age-matched type 2 DM with microalburninuria (control group). During the study, the UAE significantly decreased in the ibudilast group, while it significantly increased in the control group. After 18 months, the UAE (52 19 mg/g Cr) in the ibudilast group was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that (99 46 mg/g Cr) in the control group. These results suggest that ibudilast may inhibit the progression of early diabetic nephropathy in type 2 DM. Copyright (C) 2002 S. KargerAG, Basel.