Ketotifen in the treatment of diabetics with various allergic conditions.

A study was carried out in 30 hospitalized diabetics suffering from allergic conditions to assess the effects of ketotifen on various laboratory parameters. Ten of the patients were on diet only, 10 on biguanides plus diet, and 10 on sulphonylureas plus diet. Most were overweight. Patients received 4 mg ketotifen daily for 14 days. Oral glucose tolerance tests and other laboratory investigations were carried out before and 7 and 14 days after the start of ketotifen administration. There were no pathological changes measured in blood levels of sodium, potassium, SGPT, SGOT, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, uric acid, non-protein nitrogen, haemoglobin, haematocrit, white cell count and differential, and platelet count. Glucose tolerance improved somewhat during the repeated oral glucose tolerance test, and there were no significant changes either in the immunoreactive insulin or growth hormone levels during the test. In the diabetics on biguanides, initial blood pressures were raised both in the lying and standing positions. The levels decreased significantly to normal during ketotifen administration. The results indicate that ketotifen can be used without problems in the treatment of diabetics with allergic disorders and its suggested that a long-term study with ketotifen in diabetic patients could be useful.