There have been several studies conducted on the effects of using pramlintide to treat people with
type 2 diabetes.
Pramlintide and Hemoglobin A1c
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a test used to measure long-term blood sugar control. For people without
diabetes, HbA1c results are usually less than 6 percent, while people with diabetes usually have higher results. In one study of people with type 2 diabetes, people taking pramlintide (in combination with
insulin) lowered their HbA1c results by 0.57 percent on average, while people taking insulin alone decreased their HbA1c results by only 0.17 percent. Similar results were seen in people who had
type 1 diabetes.
Studies have shown that the higher the HbA1c result, the greater the chance for developing long-term problems related to diabetes. This includes problems such as
heart disease,
diabetic retinopathy,
diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic nephropathy. By getting blood sugar levels under control with pramlintide, it may be possible to decrease the chances for developing these
diabetes complications.
Pramlintide and Weight
In one study, people taking pramlintide and insulin lost 3.3 pounds on average (over six months), while people taking insulin alone gained about a half a pound on average. Similar results were seen in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Pramlintide and Insulin Dose
Pramlintide has been shown to reduce the amount of insulin a person needs to take. In one study of pramlintide in people with type 2 diabetes, people taking pramlintide were able to reduce their doses of both meal-time insulin and long-acting insulin, while people taking insulin alone needed to increase both meal-time and long-acting insulin doses.
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