{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T11:03:52Z","timestamp":1785323032785,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785283200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd."}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Pers. Med.","JPM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) frequently exhibit impaired erythrocyte deformability, which contributes to microvascular dysfunction. We previously reported that imeglimin, a mitochondrial-targeted antidiabetic agent, prolongs erythrocyte lifespan. This study investigated the effects of imeglimin on whole-blood fluidity and its clinical implications in patients with T2D. Methods: This post hoc analysis of the INFINITY study included 25 patients with T2D who completed 6 months of imeglimin treatment (2000 mg\/day) followed by a 3-month follow-up. Whole-blood fluidity was assessed by measuring whole-blood passage time using a microchannel array flow analyzer (MC-FAN). Hematological parameters, glycemic markers, and vascular indices, including brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and toe-brachial index (TBI), were also assessed. Results: Whole-blood fluidity, assessed by 3-month averages of whole-blood passage time, showed an improvement trend at Months 1\u20133 (p = 0.058) and a significant improvement at Months 4\u20136 (p = 0.016) compared with baseline; this effect was reversed after discontinuation. Erythrocyte lifespan significantly increased by 10\u201320% during treatment and remained prolonged after discontinuation. Conversely, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit decreased during treatment and returned toward baseline post-discontinuation. At Month 6, baPWV increased, and TBI decreased, both showing reversibility after treatment cessation. Conclusions: In this exploratory post hoc analysis, imeglimin treatment was associated with reduced whole-blood passage time measured using the MC-FAN system, suggesting improved whole-blood fluidity in patients with T2D. The clinical and mechanistic significance of this observation requires confirmation in future controlled prospective studies incorporating direct assessments of erythrocyte rheology and microvascular function.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jpm16080405","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T10:13:47Z","timestamp":1785320027000},"page":"405","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Imeglimin Treatment May Improve Whole-Blood Fluidity and Influence Hemorheology in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Post Hoc Analysis of the INFINITY Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Takeshi","family":"Osonoi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shinichiro","family":"Shirabe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Miyoko","family":"Saito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mitsuru","family":"Hosoya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Norie","family":"Watahiki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nana","family":"Shiozawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Satako","family":"Douguchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kensuke","family":"Ofuchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5216-0271","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Makoto","family":"Katoh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Naka Kinen Clinic, Naka City 311-0113, Ibaraki, Japan"},{"name":"Division of Research Promotion, Integrated Research Administration Center, Saitama Medical University, Moroyama-Machi 350-0495, Saitama, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"481","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpj.2017.06.015","article-title":"Modeling of Biomechanics and Biorheology of Red Blood Cells in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus","volume":"113","author":"Chang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biophys. 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