Effects of metformin and fenofibrate on peripheral insulin resistance and β-cell function in patients with simple obesity

AIM: To observe the therapeutic efficacy of metformin and fenofibrate for peripheral insulin resistance and β-cell function in patients with simple obesity. METHODS: Forty cases of simple obesity with hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia but normal sugar tolerance were divided into the metformin and fenofibrate treatment group and the metformin treatment group. The subjects were observed for their blood pressure, blood fat, body mass index (BMI) and insulin level before and after treatment for 24 weeks. RESULTS: Metformin and fenofibrate could decrease blood pressure, blood fat, BMI and fasting insulin level obviously, and post-meal insulin changes were ob-vious (P0.05). In metformin treatment group, blood pressure and triglyceride, BMI were also decreased significantly (P0.05), but fasting and post-meal insulin levels did not change so notably like those in metformin and fenofibrate treatment group (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Metformin and fenofibrate can increase insulin sensitivity and recover β cell function in patients with simple obesity accompanied by insulin resistance, hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia, so the combination has an obvious therapeutic action in patients with simple obesity.