Long-Term Metformin Curbs Diabetes Development

Metformin reduced the development of diabetes in high-risk adults over 15 years, according to a study published in the April issue of Diabetes Care.

The study looked at the effect of metformin in diabetes prevention and the populations that benefited most over 15 years in the Diabetes Prevention Program and the subsequent Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study.

In the Diabetes Prevention Program, 1073 adults at high risk of developing diabetes were randomized to masked metformin 850 mg twice daily and 1082 to placebo. During the subsequent Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, participants originally assigned to metformin continued the medication, unmasked.

During 15 years of follow-up, metformin reduced the incidence of diabetes compared with placebo by 17% based on glucose and by 36% based on hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) levels, researchers found.

In glucose-defined diabetes, metformin’s effect was stronger in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus compared with women who did not experience gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Metformin also had a greater effect in adults with higher baseline fasting glucose levels.

Meanwhile, in HbA_1c-defined diabetes, metformin was most effective in adults with higher baseline HbA_1c, according to the study.

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference

Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Long-term effects of metformin on diabetes prevention: identification of subgroups that benefited most in the Diabetes Prevention Program and Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Diabetes Care. 2019;42(4):601-608.