Efficacy of metformin on glycemic control and weight in drug-naive type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized trials
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY: Metformin is recommended as the first-line treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Despite its common use, few studies have been conducted to precisely measure the efficacy of metformin versus placebo as a first-line treatment. This study aims to assess the precise effects of metformin monotherapy on glycemic control and weight in drug-naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
METHODS: Medline® and Cochrane databases were searched until March 19, 2016 to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized trials evaluating metformin monotherapy in drug-naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Assessed outcomes include glycemic control (fasting plasma glucose, glycosated hemoglobin) and weight.
RESULTS: Overall, 16 studies (1140 patients) were selected. Compared to placebo, metformin monotherapy was associated with decreased glycosated hemoglobin by 0.95% at 3 months (95% CI: 0.50 to 1.39, I2=87%) and 1.32% at 6 months (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.62, I2=71%), and decreased fasting plasma glucose by 1.92mmol/L at 1 month (95% CI: 0.11 to 3.74, I2=88%), 1.79mmol/L at 3 months (95% CI: 0.92 to 2.66, I2=88%) and 2.14mmol/L at 6 months (95% CI: 1.17 to 3.12, I2=82%). No significant difference was demonstrated for the comparisons of weight due to relatively small number of studies retrieved from the literature resulting in insufficient statistical power.
CONCLUSION: This study provides the precise effects of metformin monotherapy…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 1,140 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Metformin as an adjuvant in breast cancer treatment
- Metformin Lysosomal Targeting: A Novel Aspect to Be Investigated for Metformin Repurposing in Neurodegenerative Diseases?
- Aberrant HSF1 signaling activation underlies metformin amelioration of myocardial infarction in mice
- Metformin induces ZFP36 by mTORC1 inhibition in cervical cancer-derived cell lines
- Protein Interaction Network for Identifying Vascular Response of Metformin (Oral Antidiabetic)
- Preventing Long COVID With Metformin
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.