Postmarketing study of nateglinide in Japan: treatment of medication-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes

• Published in: Advances in therapy 2005-11, Vol.22 (6), p.621-635
• Main Authors: Taki, Hiroto, Maki, Toshio, Iso, Takako, Tanabe, Shintaro, Kajiura, Taiichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Cyclohexanes - adverse effects; Cyclohexanes - therapeutic use; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Female; Glycated Hemoglobin A - metabolism; Humans; Hypoglycemia - chemically induced; Hypoglycemic Agents - administration & dosage; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Phenylalanine - adverse effects; Phenylalanine - analogs & derivatives; Phenylalanine - therapeutic use; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing
• ISSN: 0741-238X; 1865-8652
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02849956

Nateglinide is an oral antidiabetic medication (OAD) that acts through rapid, short-term stimulation of insulin production. This study was conducted to identify the nature of any adverse effects associated with nateglinide and to evaluate its clinical efficacy in patients with type 2 diabetes, with particular attention to hypoglycemia. Patients with type 2 diabetes who were OAD naïve (n=547), whose fasting blood glucose levels were 150 mg/dL or lower, and who had start-ed to take nateglinide alone were recruited from 139 centers in Japan with a 12-week observation period. The incidence of adverse reactions was 7.62%. Hypoglycemia accompanied by hypoglycemic symptoms was the most prevalent adverse event (2.10%; 11/525). Nine of 11 episodes required no therapeutic intervention. Severe hypoglycemia was recognized in only 1 case of diabetes complicated by serious renal dysfunction, for which nateglinide has been contraindicated in Japan. No subject experienced symptoms of nocturnal or prolonged hypoglycemia. After 12 weeks of nateglinide treatment, decreases were noted in hemoglobin A1c (0.82%), postprandial glucose (reduced by 59.4 mg/dL to 158.0 mg/dL), and fasting glucose (reduced by 11.7 mg/dL to 122.4 mg/dL). Nateglinide, which demonstrates limited risk of hypoglycemia and effectively controls blood glucose level, is regarded as a useful drug for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes.