Multifactorial effects of vildagliptin added to ongoing metformin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: to assess the efficacy of a vildagliptin and metformin combination therapy to a metformin monotherapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.methods: sixty-one patients with diabetes inadequately controlled by a metformin monotherapy were randomized to treatment with a combination therapy of vildagliptin 100 mg and a metformin versus metformin monotherapy. this was a 12-week randomized parallel group study. during the study we assessed parameters of glycemic and lipid metabolism as well as the treatment effects on the release of proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines.results: compared with baseline values we observed a significant improvement of glycaemic parameters such as hba1c,fpg,ppg,fpi,homa-ir and homa-β index as well as decrease of tch,tg and ldl and an increase of hdl with the greatest extent of vildagliptin plus a low-dose metformin therapy group. a metformin combination therapy significantly decreased such inflamation parameters as hs-crp,ox-ldl,tnf-α and il-1β levels relative to monotherapies. all treatments were well tolerated and there was no incidence of hypoglycaemia.conclusions: vildagliptin added to an ongoing metformin therapy allows to achieve better metabolic control parameters in comparison with a metformin monotherapy and the combination treatment is well tolerated and has a low risk of serious adverse effects. © 2014 institute of pharmacology,polish academy of sciences.