Gliclazide treatment lowers serum ICAM-1 levels in poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients

Objective: To investigate the potential effect of gliclazide on serum IGAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1) and VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) levels in poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients. Patients and methods: The study included 104 patients, randomly divided into two groups. Group A comprised 53 patients (26 men) treated with gliclazide with a mean age of 67.5 +/- 9.9 years, a mean diabetes duration of 13.4 +/- 5.4 years and a mean HbA(1c) of 8.6 +/- 1.1%. Group B comprised 51 patients (25 men) treated with glibenclamide with a mean age of 66.4 +/- 10.9 years, a mean diabetes duration of 13.2 +/- 6.1 years and a mean HbA(1c) of 8.4 +/- 1.3%. A third group of 30 healthy controls (15 men) with a mean age of 63.3 +/- 10.4 years was also included. Serum levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured at the beginning of the study and after six months of treatment. Results: Pretreatment serum IGAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels did not differ between groups A and B, while they were significantly higher (P=0.0001) than in healthy controls. No significant difference in HbA(1c), body mass index, blood pressure control and lipid profile between the two groups was observed after the sixth month of treatment. In group A, serum ICAM-1 levels after six months of treatment were significantly reduced from 623.12 +/- 61.17 ng/ml to 370.14 +/- 49.92 ng/ml (P=0,01), while no reduction was found in VCAM-1 levels. In group 13, no reduction was found in serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels after the end of the study. Conclusions: Our results suggest that gliclazide treatment reduces serum ICAM-1 levels in poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients. This reduction is independent of the hypoglycaemic action of gliclazide.