Meal-induced platelet activation in Type 2 diabetes mellitus: effects of treatment with repaglinide and glibenclamide.

AIMS

To compare the effects of treatment with repaglinide and glibenclamide on platelet function and endothelial markers in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, before and after a standardized meal.

METHODS

Fifteen patients with Type 2 diabetes were investigated on three occasions: at baseline without oral hypoglycaemic drug treatment, and after 6 weeks' treatment with repaglinide or glibenclamide, respectively, in an open randomized cross-over study. Agonist-induced platelet P-selectin expression and platelet aggregation, urinary thromboxane, soluble P-selectin, von Willebrand factor (VWF), soluble E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. In addition, pre-meal data were compared with non-diabetic control subjects (n = 15), matched for sex, age and BMI.

RESULTS

Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet P-selectin expression increased post-meal in Type 2 diabetic patients both at baseline and after treatment with repaglinide and glibenclamide (P < 0.01 for all; repeated measures anova). Repaglinide treatment reduced fasting ADP-induced P-selectin expression compared with baseline (P = 0.01), but did not influence meal-induced platelet hyper-reactivity (P = 0.32). No significant anti-platelet effects of glibenclamide treatment were found. Plasma concentrations of VWF and ICAM-1 were elevated in patients with Type 2 diabetes compared with control subjects (P < 0.05 for both) and were reduced during treatment with repaglinide (P < 0.01 for both) but did not change during glibenclamide treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The post-meal state is associated with enhanced platelet reactivity in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pre-meal treatment with repaglinide or glibenclamide does not inhibit postprandial platelet activation, but repaglinide treatment is associated with attenuated platelet and endothelial activity in the fasting state.