A pilot study of the effect of the glycosaminoglycan sulodexide on microalbuminuria in type I diabetic patients

SummaryFifteen out-patients with type I diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria (mean ± SEM: 95.4 ± 13.9μg/min), were administered the glycosaminoglycan sulodexide, with the aim of investigating its influence on the rate of albumin excretion. Sulodexide was given intramuscularly in a dose of 600 lipoproteinlipase releasing units/day for three weeks. Albumin excretion was measured before dosing, at weekly intervals during dosing and also during the subsequent follow-up period of six weeks. Sulodexide yielded a clear-cut and statistically significant lowering of albumin excretion after the first week of treatment from 95.4 ± 13. 9μg/min to 53.6 ±11.1 μg/min; p = 0.0055); albumin excretion was further decreased after three weeks of treatment (26.5 ±6.05 μg/min; p = 0.0007) and was maintained during the follow-up period, at the end of which the mean value was still significantly lower than at baseline (39.6 ± 10.3μ/min; p = 0.01). Sulodexide short-term administration did not influence the routine haematologica...