Safety and efficacy of metformin for the treatment of pain: protocol for a systematic review
Abstract
Introduction: Pain remains difficult to manage due to limited efficacy and adverse effects of many existing analgesics, highlighting the need for safer non-opioid treatment strategies. Metformin is a widely prescribed oral antihyperglycaemic agent with emerging preclinical and early clinical evidence suggesting potential analgesic effects. Proposed mechanisms include activation of AMP-activated protein kinase with downstream inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways implicated in nociceptive sensitisation and chronic pain. This protocol describes a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of metformin for the treatment or prevention of pain in an adult population.
Methods and analysis: This systematic review will include randomised, double-blind, placebo or active-controlled trials evaluating orally administered metformin for the treatment or prevention of acute or chronic pain in adult human participants. Searches will be conducted in MEDLINE (Ovid MEDLINE ALL), EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception alongside ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and reference list screening. Two reviewers will independently screen studies, extract data and assess risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Outcomes will include pain intensity, pain relief, responder outcomes, functional interference, analgesic use and adverse…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review, 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.
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