Biomarkers

Gut microbiota counts of Prevotella and Bacteroides species could help predict responses to acarbose or glipizide in Type II diabetes. Metagenomic analysis of fecal samples from 51 patients treated with acarbose and another 43 patients treated with glipizide identified associations between poor outcomes -- including high insulin resistance and fasting glucose levels in the blood -- and both high counts of Prevotella spp. and low counts of Bacteroides spp. Next steps include confirming the findings in larger cohorts of Type II diabetes patients.

The generic sulfonylurea glipizide is marketed to treat Type II diabetes...