[Effect of clofibrate on glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in patients with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia (author's transl)].

In 22 patients with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia, oral and intravenous glucose tolerance showed significant improvement under clofibrate treatment which was in no way correlated to the fall in triglycerides. Basal and stimulated insulin, cholesterol and fasting blood sugar did not change, body weight remained constant and was not correlated to the degree of hypertriglyceridemia. On the other hand a positive correlation between body weight and insulin concentrations was found. Improvement of glucose tolerance independently of body weight and insulin may be due to a direct effect of clofibrate on glucose metabolism without any correlation to its triglyceride-lowering.