 The investigators report the findings of a long-term randomized and comparator-controlled clinical trial conducted in patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes. The investigators compared the effect of pioglitazone with that of metformin on circulating endothelial cell-derived submicroscopic membranous vesicles, termed microparticles: because of their putative role in inflammatory processes and their ability to directly affect endothelial functions, they are gaining increasing popularity as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular outlook. Metformin was chosen as a comparator because the American Diabetes Association recommendations suggest to start therapy in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetic subjects combining a drug metformin with lifestyle changes. Moreover, the mechanism of action of pioglitazone is distinct from that of metformin. 