Effects and mechanism of rosiglitazone on carotid intima-media thickness in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanism of rosiglitazone on carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM)by carotid ultrssonography.Methods Fifty-nine patienta with obese DM were divided into two groups randomly:patients in control group(n=29)received routine therapy.and patients in treatment group(n=30)received rosiglitzone with routine therapy for 24 months.Carotid IMT was measured by carotid ultrasonography pre-and post-therapy.The level of ma-trix metalloproteinase-9(MMPO)and C-reactive protein(CRP)were assayed.Results Compared with control group,the IMT was decreased following irosiglitazone therapy(P＜0.05).The concentrations of MMP-9 and CRP in patients in the treatment group were (253.4±97.5)ng/L and(1.15±0.96)mg/L,and those in the control group were(361.8±101.7)ng/L and (2.18±2.01)mg/L,which were significantly impmved.Conclusion Rosiglitazone could retard atherosclerosis progression in obese patients with type 2 DM which was achieved through improving MMP-9 and CRP. Key words: Diabetes mellitus,type 2; Intimamedia thickness; Matrix metalloproteinase-9; C-Reactive Protein; Rosiglitazone