EFFECT OF PIOGLITAZONE ON LIPID PROFILE IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS

Objective: To determine the effect of pioglitazone on lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients treated and followed up for three months after initiation of therapy. Methodology: This hospital based quasi-experimental study was conducted in the medical B unit, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from July 2008 to June 2009. A total of 161 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in this study using convenient (non-probability) sampling. Clinical and laboratory evaluation of all the patients were done to note the change in lipid profile after the use of 30 mg pioglitazone. Continuous variables such as age and lipid profile (triglycerides; Low Density Lipoprotien [LDL]; High Density Lipoprotien[HDL]; cholesterol) at baseline and after 3 months time were expressed as mean ± S.D. Paired sample t-test was used to analyze the mean difference in pre-post lab investigation by SPSS version15.Results: Out of the 161 patients, 79(49.1%) were males and 82(50.9%) were females. The mean age of the sample was 51.2±11.33 years. Triglycerides decreased from 219.2±34.4 to 189.2±33.7 mg/dl with a mean difference of 29.9 mg/dl (p 0.001). Total cholesterol changed from 201.4±29.8 to 203.2±28.9 mg/dl with amean difference of 1.8mg/dl (p 0.001). LDL changed from 153.7±21.1 to 154.7±20.7 mg/dl with a mean difference of 0.9 mg/dl (p 0.001). HDL increased from 37.2±2.9 to 41.5±3.1 mg/dl with a mean difference of 4.3 mg/dl (p 0.001).Conclusions: Pioglitazone was found to have beneficial effects on lipid profile. It significantly reduced the levels of triglycerides and increased levels of HDL cholesterol in patients with Type 2 diabetes