Glibenclamide (Dose to be Titrated From Starting Dose of 5mg om) Plus Rosiglitazone 4mg om (Increased to 8mg om After 6 Months) and vs Glibenclamide (Dose to be Titrated With Starting Dose of 5mg om) Plus Placebo, Administered to Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Rationale Rosiglitazone and troglitazone both promote differentiation of pre-adipocytes into adipocytes in subcutaneous, but not omental fat, and reduce gamma glutamyl transferase, a surrogate marker for intra-abdominal and hepatic fat. Troglitazone has been shown by abdominal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to reduce the intra-abdominal adipose tissue area in type 2 diabetics. Similarly rosiglitazone has also been shown to increase subcutaneous but not intra-abdominal fat in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the same study it was also shown to cause a substantial reduction in hepatic fat. Central fat depots are believed to be associated with more cardiovascular risk than subcutaneous fat depots. By contrast, sulphonylurea-associated weight gain has been shown by abdominal CT scan to include increases in intra-abdominal adipose tissue. The aim of this study is to compare the body fat distribution pattern of glibenclamide plus rosiglitazone versus glibenclamide and placebo (especially the intra-abdominal adipose tissue and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue areas) in patients with type 2 diabetes. It is hypothesised that rosiglitazone will lead to the accumulation of excess energy stores in the subcutaneous rather than the intra-abdominal adipose tissue depot. In addition, it is hoped that by having a positive effect on diastolic blood pressure, lipid levels, BMI, rosiglitazone will be shown to have a better cardiovascular risk profile when used in combination with glibenclamide rather than when glibenclamide is used alone. Although insulin resistance has been shown to be a primary defect causing type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin secretory defect has also been known to be an important factor in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A previous study has shown that in Korean patients, early-phase insulin secretory defect may be the initial abnormality in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus \[56\]. This study also