BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a growing health problem in the Western Pacific Region. Oral treatment with the cc-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose has been proven efficacious in controlled studies in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this Post-Marketing Surveillance study was to assess efficacy, safety and acceptance of acarbose treatment in Philippine patients with type 2 diabetes under day-to-day practice conditions.

METHODS: A total of 780 patients were enrolled by 199 physicians throughout the Philippines into an open, prospective, uncontrolled, non-randomised, multi-centre study. Efficacy parameters were the changes in fasting and postprandial blood glucose values, HbAlc concentrations and body weight from the initial to the last follow-up visit.

RESULTS: Many patients (61 percent) had been previously treated with other anti-diabetic medication and the majority (85.5 percent) received acarbose in combination therapy. More than 40 percent of the study population were obese and many patients already suffered from comorbidities and late diabetes complications. Acarbose treatment reduced mean fasting blood glucose concentrations by 62.1 mg/dL to 123.1 mg/dL and 2h-postprandial values by 82.0 mg/dL to 146.1 mg/dL over a mean observation period of 11.5 weeks. A mean weight loss of 1.7 kg was reported for this period. Mean HbAlc decreased by 0.9 percent to 7.7 percent in the first five weeks of acarbose treatment. In 8 patients 17 acarbose-related adverse events occurred. The attending physicians rated treatment efficacy as 'good' or 'very good' for 87.2 percent, tolerability for 89.2 percent, and treatment acceptance for 89.2 percent of all patients.

CONCLUSIONS: Acarbose proved efficacious, safe and well accepted by type 2 diabetes patients in the Philippines under day-to-day treatment conditions.

Acarbose ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

The aim of this Post-Marketing Surveillance study was to assess efficacy, safety and acceptance of acarbose treatment in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients under day-to-day practice conditions. A total of 2 480 patients were enrolled by 231 physicians throughout China into an open, prospective, uncontrolled, nonrandomised, multi-centre study. Main efficacy parameters were the changes in fasting and postprandial blood glucose concentrations as well as in HbA1c levels after acarbose treatment. The majority of patients had been previously treated with other oral anti-diabetic medication or insulin and received concomitant anti-diabetics during the mean observation period of 13.5 weeks. Most patients started on a daily acarbose dose of 50 mgt. i. d. Acarbose treatment reduced fasting blood glucose concentrations by 56. 1 mg/dl ( 18 mg/dl glucose = 1 mmol/Lglucose) and 2h-postprandial values by 111.3 mg/dl over the studyperiod. HbA1c decreased by 1.9％ and body weight by 0.9 kg. 76 acarbose-related adverse events occurred; two patients experienced serious adverse events.The attending physicians assessed treatment efficacy as "very good" or "good" for 90.1％ of the patients, tolerability for 89.1％ and acarbose acceptance for 87.1％ of the patients. Acarbose is efficacious, safe and well accepted by Chinese type 2 diabetic patients under day-to-day routine conditions, both as anti-diabetic mono therapy and in combination with other anti-diabetic drugs.

The aim of this Post-Marketing Surveillance study was to assess efficacy,safety and acceptance of acarbose treatment in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients under day-to-day practice conditions.A total of 2 480 patients were enrolled by 231 physicians throughout China into an open,prospective,uncontrolled,non- randomised,multi-centre study.Main efficacy parameters were the changes in fasting and postprandial blood glucose concentrations as well as in HbA-(1C) levels after acarbose treatment.The majority of patients had been previously treated with other oral anti-diabetic medication or insulin and received concomitant anti-diabetics during the mean observation period of 13.5 weeks.Most patients started on a daily acarbose dose of 50 mg t.i.d. Acarbose treatment reduced fasting blood glucose concentrations by 56.1 mg/dl ( 18 mg/dl glucose = 1 mmol/L glucose) and 2h-postprandial values by 111.3 mg/dl over the study period.HbA-(1C) decreased by 1.9% and body weight by 0.9 kg.76 acarbose-relatod adverse events occurred;two patients experienced serious adverse events. The attending physicians assessed treatment efficacy as“very good”or“good”for 90.1% of the patients, tolcrability for 89.1% and acarbose acceptance for 87.1% of the patients.Acarbose is efficacious,safe and well accepted by Chinese type 2 diabetic patients under day-to-day routine conditions,both as anti-diabetic mono- therapy and in combination with other anti-dlabetic drugs.