Pioglitazone slows progression of CIMT in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Pioglitazone [Actos], an oral antihyperglycaemic, slows the progression of carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) compared with glimepiride [Amaryl] in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to a study presented at the 79th Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association (AHA) [Chicago, Illinois, US; November 2006], and simultaneously published online in JAMA. In this multicentre study, more than 450 patients were randomised to receive treatment with pioglitazone or glimepiride. The difference in absolute change in CIMT from baseline to 72 weeks in the pioglitazone group versus the glimepiride group was −0.013mm (95% CI −0.024, −0.002; p < 0.05). Furthermore, changes in maximal CIMT were similar across treatment groups.