Endocrine Abstracts

Purposes: To investigate the effects of α-lipoic acid (ALA) on diabetic dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, levels of adiponectin and proinflammatory mediators in combination therapy of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: We examined 40 patients with IHD and T2DM (19 males, age 60.5±4.7 years). Baseline characteristics of patients included history of IHD (7.2±2.3 years), T2DM (4.7±0.5 years). The level of HbA1c was <7.5%. All patients were divided into two groups: the 1st (n=20) – received the standard therapy, the 2nd (n=20) in the standard therapy received ALA 600 mg once daily. In all patients were determined the levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) by enzymatic colorymetric method, proinflammatory mediators (TNF-α, hsCRP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and adiponectin by ELISA method at baseline and in 6 months.

Results: Using in combination therapy ALA increased plasma levels of HDL on 5% (0.4 mmol/l), decreased TC, LDL and TG levels on 4, 5.2 and 6.3% respectively (all P<0.001), substantially lowered plasma levels of TNF-α by 6±1.5% (P<0.05) and hsCRP from 1.53±0.13 to 0.98±0.11 pg/ml (P<0.05), increased plasma levels of adiponectin by 18±2% (P=0.001) compared with the 1st group. The serum VEGF concentrations in patients who received in the standard therapy ALA were significantly reduced from 320±26 pg/ml at baseline to 212±22 pg/ml in 6 months (P=0.022). There were correlations between changes in adiponectin levels and the VEGF concentrations (r=−0.31, P=0.043).

Conclusions: Combination therapy with ALA significantly reduced TC, LDL, TG and proinflammatory mediators, VEGF, increased HDL in patients with IHD and T2DM.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.