The impact of insulin sensitisers on lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Konkuk University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Setting:
It has been reported that diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with poor pulmonary function, which could be explained by insulin resistance.
Objective:
To evaluate whether insulin sensitisers (ISs) have beneficial effects on lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and DM.
Design:
This retrospective study included patients with both COPD and DM who attended Seoul National University Hospital for treatment between 1 January 2000 and 31 August 2007. They were treated with inhalers for COPD and oral hypoglycaemia agents, including ISs or insulin, for DM. The primary outcome was a change in lung function in spirometric examinations.
Results:
Among 61 patients enrolled, 32 were in the no IS group, while 29 were in the IS group. On multivariable regression analysis, the IS group showed a significantly greater change in forced vital capacity (FVC) than the no IS group (adjusted beta-coefficient 131.9, 95%CI 8.5-255.4, P = 0.04).
Conclusions:
Treatment with an IS was independently associated with improvements in FVC in patients with both COPD and DM, compared with treatment without IS.
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