Diacerein reduces mean hemoglobin A1c levels in T2DM

(HealthDay)—An immune-modulator anti-inflammatory drug, diacerein, reduces the mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in Diabetes Care.

Claudia R.L. Cardoso, Ph.D., from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and colleagues conducted a randomized trial involving 84 patients with HbA1c between 7.5 and 9.5 percent. Eighty-four participants were randomized to 48-week treatment with placebo (41 patients) or diacerein 100 mg/day (43 patients).

The researchers found that, compared with placebo, diacerein reduced HbA1c by 0.35 percent in the intention-to-treat analysis and by 0.41 percent in the per-protocol analysis. At the 24th week of treatment, the peak of effect occurred (−0.61 and −0.78 percent, respectively); the effect attenuated toward nonsignificant differences at the 48th week. Diacerein had no significant effect in other efficacy and safety measures. Sixty-five percent of patients receiving diacerein had diarrhea, and treatment was interrupted in 16 percent. Insulin dosage was reduced in seven patients in the diacerein group, while dosage was increased for 10 patients in the placebo group.

"The drug was well tolerated and may be indicated as adjunct treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly in those with osteoarthritis," the authors write.