[Effect of compound danshen dripping pill on arterial intima-media thickness in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To investigate the effect of compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) on peripheral arterial intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients newly diagnosed as type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: One hundred and eight patients were equally randomized into 3 groups, in addition to the basic hypoglycemic, hypotensive and lipid-regulation treatment, they were administered orally with aspirin (0.1 g, once daily), vitamin E (0.1 g, twice daily) and CDDP (10 pills, thrice daily) for 18 months, respectively. The conventional cardiovascular risk factors, such as hyperglycemia, lipids profile, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) as well as ultrasound measurement of peripheral arterial IMT before and after treatment were compared.

Results: In the group treated with CDDP after treatment, the levels of HbA1c, serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly lower (all P<0.01), HOMA-IR was higher than those in the other two groups; while IMTs of carotid, iliac and femoral arteries were insignificantly different among them (P>0.05); however, the increment of carotid IMT in the CDDP treated group was less than that in the aspirin treated group (P<0.05), and that of femoral IMT was less than both the aspirin and vitamin E treated groups (P<0.05).

Conclusion: For the patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, additional administration of CDDP to the conventional treatment could exert beneficial effects on blood glucose controling, and lipid profile improvement and delay of arterial intima-media proliferation.