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1.
Comparison of metformin plus myoinositol vs metformin alone in PCOS women undergoing ovulation induction cycles: randomized controlled trial.
Agrawal, A, Mahey, R, Kachhawa, G, Khadgawat, R, Vanamail, P, Kriplani, A
Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology. 2019;(6):511-514
Abstract
The present study was planned to evaluate the benefit of synergetic effect of Metformin plus Myo-inositol versus Metformin alone in infertile polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) women undergoing ovulation induction. One hundred and twenty infertile PCOS women were randomized: Group I (n = 60) received Metformin (500 mg) plus Myoinositol(600 mg) three times a day; Group II received Metformin 500 mg three times a day. Subjects were advised to try for spontaneous conception. Those who did not conceive after 3 months, were given three cycles of ovulation induction + intrauterine insemination. Hormonal and biochemical profile parameters were done at baseline and after 3 months of therapy. Primary outcome measure was live birth rate. Secondary outcomes were improvement in menstrual cycle, hormonal and biochemical parameters, spontaneous conception, abortions, multiple pregnancy, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Baseline demographic, hormonal and biochemical parameters were comparable in two groups. There was a significant improvement in menstrual cycles (cycle length and bleeding days) in Group I as compared to Group II. The improvement in biochemical and hormonal parameters were comparable in the two groups after 3 months. Live birth rate was significantly higher in the Group I as compared to Group II [55% (33/60); 26.67% (16/60); p = .002]. The study concluded significantly higher live birth rate in women receiving the combination as compared to metformin alone.
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Metformin induces a fasting- and antifolate-mimicking modification of systemic host metabolism in breast cancer patients.
Cuyàs, E, Fernández-Arroyo, S, Buxó, M, Pernas, S, Dorca, J, Álvarez, I, Martínez, S, Pérez-Garcia, JM, Batista-López, N, Rodríguez-Sánchez, CA, et al
Aging. 2019;(9):2874-2888
Abstract
Certain dietary interventions might improve the therapeutic index of cancer treatments. An alternative to the "drug plus diet" approach is the pharmacological reproduction of the metabolic traits of such diets. Here we explored the impact of adding metformin to an established therapeutic regimen on the systemic host metabolism of cancer patients. A panel of 11 serum metabolites including markers of mitochondrial function and intermediates/products of folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism were measured in paired baseline and post-treatment sera obtained from HER2-positive breast cancer patients randomized to receive either metformin combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and trastuzumab or an equivalent regimen without metformin. Metabolite profiles revealed a significant increase of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate and of the TCA intermediate α-ketoglutarate in the metformin-containing arm. A significant relationship was found between the follow-up levels of homocysteine and the ability of treatment arms to achieve a pathological complete response (pCR). In the metformin-containing arm, patients with significant elevations of homocysteine tended to have a higher probability of pCR. The addition of metformin to an established anti-cancer therapeutic regimen causes a fasting-mimicking modification of systemic host metabolism. Circulating homocysteine could be explored as a clinical pharmacodynamic biomarker linking the antifolate-like activity of metformin and biological tumor response.
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3.
The Potential Use of Metformin, Dipyridamole, N-Acetylcysteine and Statins as Adjunctive Therapy for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Tan, MKX, Heng, TYJ, Mak, A
Cells. 2019;(4)
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition that can potentially affect every single organ during the course of the disease, leading to increased morbidity and mortality, and reduced health-related quality of life. While curative treatment is currently non-existent for SLE, therapeutic agents such as glucocorticoids, mycophenolate, azathioprine, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide and various biologics are the mainstay of treatment based on their immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive properties. As a result of global immunosuppression, the side-effect profile of the current therapeutic approach is unfavourable, with adverse effects including myelosuppression, infection and malignancies. Hydroxychloroquine, one of the very few Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for the treatment of SLE, has been shown to offer a number of therapeutic benefits to SLE patients independent of its immunomodulatory effect. As such, it is worth exploring drugs similar to hydroxychloroquine that confer additional clinical benefits unrelated to immunosuppressive mechanisms. Indeed, apart from hydroxychloroquine, a number of studies have explored the use of a few conventionally non-immunosuppressive drugs that are potentially useful in the management of SLE. In this review, non-immunosuppressive therapeutic agents, namely metformin, dipyridamole, N-acetylcysteine and statins, will be critically discussed with regard to their mechanisms of action and efficacy pertaining to their potential therapeutic role in SLE.
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4.
SGLT2 inhibitors and metformin: Dual antihyperglycemic therapy and the risk of metabolic acidosis in type 2 diabetes.
Donnan, K, Segar, L
European journal of pharmacology. 2019;:23-29
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Abstract
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) has risen in the United States and worldwide, with an increase in global prevalence from 4.7% to 8.5% between 1980 and 2014. A variety of antidiabetic drugs are available with different mechanisms of action, and multiple drugs are often used concomitantly to improve glycemic control. One of the newest classes of oral antihyperglycemic agents is the sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors or "flozins". Recent clinical guidelines have suggested the use of SGLT2 inhibitors as add-on therapy in patients for whom metformin alone does not achieve glycemic targets, or as initial dual therapy with metformin in patients who present with higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The FDA has approved fixed-dose combination (FDC) tablets with each of the three available SGLT2 inhibitors (canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin) and metformin. Both drug classes are associated with the rare but serious life-threatening complications that result from metabolic acidosis, including lactic acidosis (with metformin) and euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (with SGLT2 inhibitors). This review summarizes the current literature on the pharmacokinetics and the molecular targets of metformin and SGLT2 inhibitors. It also addresses the common adverse effects and highlights the molecular mechanisms by which this dual antihyperglycemic therapy contributes to high anion gap metabolic acidosis. In conclusion, while the combination of metformin and SGLT2 inhibitors would be a better option in improving glycemic control with a low risk of hypoglycemia, an increase in the risk of metabolic acidosis during combination therapy may be borne in mind.
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N-ACETYLCYSTEINE AND/OR URSODEOXYCHOLIC ACID ASSOCIATED WITH METFORMIN IN NON-ALCOHOLIC STEATOHEPATITIS: AN OPEN-LABEL MULTICENTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.
Oliveira, CP, Cotrim, HP, Stefano, JT, Siqueira, ACG, Salgado, ALA, Parise, ER
Arquivos de gastroenterologia. 2019;(2):184-190
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nowadays, pharmacological treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is still limited and it is based on the treatment of conditions associated comorbities. Oxidative stress and insulin resistance are the mechanisms that seem to be mostly involved in its pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in combination with metformin (MTF) and/or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). METHODS Open-label multicenter randomized trial was conducted for 48 weeks. It included patients with biopsy-proven NASH. The patients were randomized into three groups: NAC (1.2 g) + UDCA (15 mg/kg) + MTF (850-1500 mg/day) (n=26); UDCA (20 mg/kg) + MTF (850-1500 mg/day) (n=13); NAC (1.2g) + MTF (850-1500 mg/day) (n=14) for 48 weeks. Clinical, laboratory and the second liver biopsies were performed after 48 weeks. RESULTS A total of 53 patients were evaluated; 17 (32.1%) were males; median age ±54 (IQR=15, 21-71) years. In the baseline, no difference was seen between groups according clinical and histological parameters. The groups differed only in cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. No significant differences in biochemical and histologic parameters were found between these the three groups after 48 weeks of treatment. In the intragroup analysis (intention-to-treat) comparing histological and biochemical features, there were significant improvements in the steatosis degree (P=0.014), ballooning (0.027) and, consequently, in the NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) (P=0.005), and in the ALT levels at the end of the treatment only in the NAC + MTF group. No significant evidence of modification in the liver fibrosis could be observed in any of the groups. CONCLUSION This multicenter study suggests that the association of NAC + MTF could reduce the liver disease activity in patients with NASH. These data stimulate further controlled studies with this therapy for these patients.
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Metabolic Effects of Metformin in Humans.
Adeva-Andany, MM, Rañal-Muíño, E, Fernández-Fernández, C, Pazos-García, C, Vila-Altesor, M
Current diabetes reviews. 2019;(4):328-339
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both insulin deficiency and insulin resistance due to glucagon secretion cause fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes. INTRODUCTION Metformin enhances insulin sensitivity, being used to prevent and treat diabetes, although its mechanism of action remains elusive. RESULTS Patients with diabetes fail to store glucose as hepatic glycogen via the direct pathway (glycogen synthesis from dietary glucose during the post-prandial period) and via the indirect pathway (glycogen synthesis from "de novo" synthesized glucose) owing to insulin deficiency and glucagoninduced insulin resistance. Depletion of the hepatic glycogen deposit activates gluconeogenesis to replenish the storage via the indirect pathway. Unlike healthy subjects, patients with diabetes experience glycogen cycling due to enhanced gluconeogenesis and failure to store glucose as glycogen. These defects raise hepatic glucose output causing both fasting and post-prandial hyperglycemia. Metformin reduces post-prandial plasma glucose, suggesting that the drug facilitates glucose storage as hepatic glycogen after meals. Replenishment of glycogen store attenuates the accelerated rate of gluconeogenesis and reduces both glycogen cycling and hepatic glucose output. Metformin also reduces fasting hyperglycemia due to declining hepatic glucose production. In addition, metformin reduces plasma insulin concentration in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes and decreases the amount of insulin required for metabolic control in patients with diabetes, reflecting improvement of insulin activity. Accordingly, metformin preserves β-cell function in patients with type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSION Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the metabolic effects of metformin, but evidence is not conclusive and the molecular basis of metformin action remains unknown.
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Should metformin still be the first-line of treatment in type 2 diabetes mellitus? A comprehensive review and suggested algorithm.
Bin Hussain, AK, Abdelgadir, E, Rashid, F, Al Haj, A, Thadani, P, Bashier, AMK
Diabetes & metabolic syndrome. 2019;(3):1935-1942
Abstract
For more than a century, the high occurrences of coronary and peripheral artery diseases in diabetes mellitus patients has been well recognised; despite that, the ability to improve CV event rates by optimizing glycaemic control has remained elusive. Nevertheless, the last decade has seen several cardiovascular outcome clinical trials (CVOTs) of many antihyperglycemic agents that reported promising results for cardiovascular and renal outcomes. This leads to a hot debate on the ideal drug choice for first-line treatment in T2DM. The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence supporting the use of metformin, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and incretin-based therapies for the management of individuals with T2DM and, discuss the rationale for selection.
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Effect of metformin in addition to dietary and lifestyle advice for pregnant women who are overweight or obese: the GRoW randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Dodd, JM, Louise, J, Deussen, AR, Grivell, RM, Dekker, G, McPhee, AJ, Hague, W
The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology. 2019;(1):15-24
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal overweight and obesity are associated with well recognised pregnancy complications. Antenatal dietary and lifestyle interventions have a modest effect on gestational weight gain without affecting pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to assess the effects on maternal and infant outcomes of antenatal metformin given in addition to dietary and lifestyle advice among overweight and obese pregnant women. METHODS GRoW was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which pregnant women at 10-20 weeks' gestation with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher were recruited from three public maternity units in Adelaide, SA, Australia. Women were randomly assigned (1:1) via a computer-generated schedule to receive either metformin (to a maximum dose of 2000 mg per day) or matching placebo. Participants, their antenatal care providers, and research staff (including outcome assessors) were masked to treatment allocation. All women received an antenatal dietary and lifestyle intervention. The primary outcome was the proportion of infants with birthweight greater than 4000 g. Secondary outcomes included measures of maternal weight gain, maternal diet and physical activity, maternal pregnancy and birth outcomes, maternal quality of life and emotional wellbeing, and infant birth outcomes. Outcomes were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis (including all randomly assigned women who did not withdraw consent to use their data, and who did not have a miscarriage or termination of pregnancy before 20 weeks' gestation, or a stillbirth). The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12612001277831. FINDINGS Of 524 women who were randomly assigned between May, 28 2013 and April 26, 2016, 514 were included in outcome analyses (256 in the metformin group and 258 in the placebo group). Median gestational age at trial entry was 16·29 weeks (IQR 14·43-18·00) and median BMI was 32·32 kg/m2 (28·90-37·10); 167 (32%) participants were overweight and 347 (68%) were obese. There was no significant difference in the proportion of infants with birthweight greater than 4000 g (40 [16%] with metformin vs 37 [14%] with placebo; adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 0·97, 95% CI 0·65 to 1·47; p=0·899). Women receiving metformin had lower average weekly gestational weight gain (adjusted mean difference -0·08 kg, 95% CI -0·14 to -0·02; p=0·007) and were more likely to have gestational weight gain below recommendations (aRR 1·46, 95% CI 1·10 to 1·94; p=0·008). Total gestational weight gain, pregnancy and birth outcomes, maternal diet and physical activity, and maternal quality of life and emotional wellbeing did not differ significantly between groups. Similar numbers of women in both treatment groups (76% [159/208] in the metformin group and 73% [144/196] in the placebo group) reported side-effects including nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting. Two stillbirths (placebo group) and one neonatal death (metformin group) occurred; none of the perinatal deaths were determined to be attributable to participation in the trial. INTERPRETATION For pregnant women who are overweight or obese, metformin given in addition to dietary and lifestyle advice initiated at 10-20 weeks' gestation does not improve pregnancy and birth outcomes. FUNDING Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
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Glucose-lowering therapies in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Prattichizzo, F, La Sala, L, Rydén, L, Marx, N, Ferrini, M, Valensi, P, Ceriello, A
European journal of preventive cardiology. 2019;(2_suppl):73-80
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease, and many patients with diabetes have prevalent cardiovascular complications. Recent cardiovascular outcome clinical trials suggest that certain new glucose-lowering drugs are accompanied by additional cardioprotective properties. Indeed, selected glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have a proved cardiovascular benefit in terms of a reduced incidence of ischaemic events, while sodium/glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors have also shown significant protection, with a striking effect on heart failure and renal endpoints. These findings have been integrated in recent guidelines which now recommend prescribing (when initial metformin monotherapy fails) a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or a sodium/glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor with clinical trial-confirmed benefit in patients with diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and a sodium/glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor in such patients with heart failure or chronic kidney disease at initial stages. Furthermore, the new 2019 European Society of Cardiology guidelines in collaboration with the European Association for the Study of Diabetes recommend a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or a sodium/glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor in treatment-naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with pre-existing cardiovascular disease or at high cardiovascular risk. Future research will disentangle the mechanisms underpinning these beneficial effects and will also establish to what extent these results are generalisable to the whole diabetes population. In the meantime, available evidence should prompt a wide diffusion of these two classes of drugs among patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Here, we briefly summarise recent findings emerging from cardiovascular outcome clinical trials, discuss their impact on treatment algorithms and propose new possible approaches to improve our knowledge further regarding the cardiovascular effect of glucose-lowering medications.
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Short-term effects of metformin and myo-inositol in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
Facchinetti, F, Orrù, B, Grandi, G, Unfer, V
Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology. 2019;(3):198-206
Abstract
Metformin (MET), the most commonly used insulin sensitizer, is the reference off-label drug for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), worldwide. However, its use may be limited mainly by gastrointestinal adverse effects. Myo-inositol (MI), a well-recognized food supplement, also represents an evidence-based treatment for PCOS women, popular in many countries. Our aim is to provide a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis which compares these two treatments, for their short-term efficacy and safety in PCOS patients. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). RCTs were identified from 1994 through 2017 using MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and ResearchGate. Included studies were limited to those one directly comparing MET to MI on several hormones changes. Standardized mean difference (SMD) or risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs were calculated. Changes in fasting insulin was the main outcome of measure. Six trials with a total of 355 patients were included. At the end of treatment, no difference between MET and MI was found on fasting insulin (SMD=0.08 µU/ml, 95% CI: -0.31-0.46, p=.697), HOMA index (SMD =0.17, 95% CI: -0.53-0.88, p=.635), testosterone (SMD= -0.01, 95% CI: -0.24-0.21, p=.922), SHBG levels (SMD= -0.50 nmol/l, 95% CI: -1.39-0.38, p=.263) and body mass index (BMI) (SMD= -0.22, 95% CI: -0.60-0.16, p=.265). There was strong evidence of an increased risk of adverse events among women receiving MET compared to those receiving MI (RR =5.17, 95% CI: 2.91-9.17, p<.001). No differences were found in the effect of MET and MI on short-term hormone changes. The better tolerability of MI makes it more acceptable for the recovery of androgenic and metabolic profile in PCOS women.