Long-Term Effects of Pioglitazone on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes without a Recent History of Macrovascular Morbidity

Aim: No previous studies have evaluated the long-term anti-atherosclerotic effects of pioglitazone in Asian patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the present study investigated the protective effects of pioglitazone on the progression of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an established surrogate marker of cardiovascular events in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients without a recent history of cardiovascular morbidity. Methods: This 2.5?4-year, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint study was conducted in 6 centers across Japan. Patients received pioglitazone with or without other oral glucose-lowering drugs (excluding another thiazolidinedione) (n=89) or oral glucose-lowering drugs, excluding thiazolidinediones (n=97). Treatment was adjusted to achieve HbA1c