Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on endothelial function in type 2 diabetes patients with stable coronary artery disease

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Glucagon, published as a randomized controlled trial.

GLP-1 stimulates insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon secretion, delays gastric emptying, and inhibits small bowel motility, all actions contributing to the anti-diabetogenic peptide effect.

The researchers investigated GLP-1's effect on endothelial function and insulin sensitivity (S(I)) in two groups: 1) 12 type 2 diabetes patients with stable coronary artery disease and 2) 10 healthy subjects with normal endothelial function and S(I).

Who Took Part

The study group was 2 patients.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults and middle-aged adults, men only.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, crossover and pilot.

Because people in this Glucagon study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Each person switched between Glucagon and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Glucagon study would be practical.

Endothelial function was measured by postischemic FMD of brachial artery, using ultrasonography.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Brachial Artery, Coronary Circulation, Coronary Disease, Coronary Vessels, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Diabetic Angiopathies and Endothelial Cells.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, crossover and pilot study of Glucagon in 2 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2004 (American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Glucagon compound page.