Rosiglitazone treatment increases nitric oxide production in human peripheral skin: A controlled clinical trial in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an increased risk of micro- and macrovascular complications, causing considerable morbidity and mortality. Endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance have been strongly associated with reduced vascular reactivity in T2DM. We investigated the effect of the insulin-sensitizing antidiabetic agent rosiglitazone at a dose level of 8 mg/day on in vivo skin nitric oxide (NO) production and blood flow in the foot in a 16-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover to open-label, single-blind study in patients with T2DM. NO production was assessed using an amperometric meter inserted directly into the skin. Skin perfusion was studied using laser Doppler techniques in response to local warming. Ten patients completed the study. NO production was significantly increased by rosiglitazone compared with baseline after 8–16 weeks of treatment (from 61.6±13.5 to 85.3±6.4 nM, P