Dipeptidyl‐peptidase IV inhibitor is effective in patients with type 2 diabetes with high serum eicosapentaenoic acid concentrations

UNLABELLED Aims/Introduction:  Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) stimulates glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion in mice. We investigated the relationship between serum EPA concentrations and the efficacy of dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitor in patients with type 2 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS   Serum EPA concentrations were measured in 62 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes who were newly given DPP-4 inhibitor as a monotherapy or as an add-on therapy to oral hypoglycemic agents. The dosage of oral hypoglycemic agents was maintained during the observation period. After 24 weeks of treatment with DPP-4 inhibitor, we evaluated the relationships between a decrease in hemoglobin A1c from baseline and serum EPA concentrations, as well as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin A1c at baseline and usage of antidiabetic concomitant drugs. RESULTS   Hemoglobin A1c was significantly decreased from 8.1 ± 1.1% to 7.2 ± 1.0% by DPP-4 inhibitor. A decrease in hemoglobin A1c correlated with BMI (r = -0.396, P = 0.0013), age (r = 0.275, P = 0.0032), hemoglobin A1c at baseline (r = 0.490, P < 0.0001) and log EPA (r = 0.285, P = 0.0246). Multiple regression analysis showed that BMI (β = -0.419, P = 0.0002), hemoglobin A1c at baseline (β = 0.579, P < 0.0001) and log EPA (β = 0.220, P = 0.0228) were independent determinants of decrease in hemoglobin A1c. CONCLUSIONS   DPP-4 inhibitor is effective in patients with type 2 diabetes with high serum EPA concentrations. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2012.00220.x , 2012).