Diabetes
Drug Avandia Poses Minimal Harm to Liver
The
type 2 diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) does not appear to
cause any more harm to the liver than other types of diabetes
drugs, such as insulin, according to a new report published in the
May issue of the journal Diabetes Care. And, unlike its chemical
cousin Rezulin (troglitazone), it is not associated with liver
failure.
Glitazone
drugs are sold under brand names Avandia and Actos and are used to
treat a type of diabetes called type 2 (or non-insulin dependent)
diabetes--the most common and most rapidly increasing type of
diabetes--by reducing patients' insulin resistance.
Rezulin
was taken off the market 2 years ago because of concerns about
possible liver damage. This sparked concern about the possibility
of the other glitazone drugs causing similar liver damage or liver
failure.
A
review of clinical trials originally conducted by SmithKline
Beecham Pharmaceuticals--the maker of Avandia--was undertaken by
Dr. Harold E. Lebovitz of State University of New York in
Brooklyn. Lebovitz, who is a major stock shareholder in SmithKline
Beecham, also sits on the company's advisory board.
Lebovitz
and his team re-examined the data from 13 studies that originally
aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of Avandia. No evidence
of (liver toxic) effects was observed in studies that involved
5,006 patients taking rosiglitazone. Diabetes
Care 2002;25:815-821.
