Effect of bezafibrate on incidence of type 2... : European Heart Journal (original) (raw)

Effect of bezafibrate on incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in obese patients

Alexander Tenenbaum
Michael Motro
Enrique Z. Fisman
Yehuda Adler
Joseph Shemesh
David Tanne
Jonathan Leor
Valentina Boyko
Ehud Schwammenthal
Solomon Behar

European Heart Journal

(

)

2032

2038

October 2005

Aims

To assess the effect of fibric acid derivative bezafibrate on incidence of type 2 diabetes in obese patients over a median 6.3 years follow-up period.

Methods and results

The study sample comprised 339 non-diabetic obese patients (body mass index ≥30.0 kg/m2) aged 42–74. Patients received either bezafibrate retard 400 mg (178 patients) or placebo (161 patients) once daily. Development of new diabetes was recorded in 98 patients: in 56 (37.0%) from the placebo group vs. 42 (27.1%) from the bezafibrate group, (P log-rank=0.01). The median time (interquartile range) until onset of new diabetes was significantly delayed in patients on bezafibrate when compared with those on placebo: 4.0 (2.1–5.0) vs. 2.0 (0.5–3.5) years, _P_=0.002. Multivariable analysis identified bezafibrate treatment as an independent predictor of reduced risk of new diabetes with hazard ratio (HR) 0.59 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39–0.91]. Other significant variables associated with future overt type 2 diabetes in obese patients were triglycerides (50 mg/dL increment) with HR 1.15 (95% CI 1.02–1.28) and fasting glucose (10 mg/dL increment) with HR 2.27 (95% CI 1.83–2.81).

Conclusion

Bezafibrate, when compared with placebo, reduced the incidence and delayed the onset of type 2 diabetes in obese patients over a long-term follow-up period.