Changes in glucose tolerance and plasma insulin during lipid-lowering treatment with diet, clofibrate and niceritrol

In an effort to reduce serum lipids in patients with atherosclerotic manifestations, a combined treatment with a conventional lipid-lowering diet, clofibrate and niceritrol was used. The effect on glucose metabolism of such treatment was studied. Among the 106 patients 66 took the full dose of both drugs and of these 51 were weight-stable and non-diabetic. The effects of the diet and the drugs were evaluated in this subsample. Diet had no effect on fasting blood glucose concentration, the K value of an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and concentrations of serum insulin. Niceritrol treatment was associated with increased blood glucose, decreased K value, elevated fasting serum insulin and serum insulin at 60 min during IVGTT. Clofibrate had the opposite effects to niceritrol and when both drugs were combined, carbohydrate metabolism was unchanged compared with the pre-treatment state.