Metformin Treatment for Patients with Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Korean Diabetes Association and Korean Society of Nephrology Consensus Statement

Trends in Antidiabetic Drug Use and Safety of Metformin in Diabetic Patients with Varying Degrees of Chronic Kidney Disease from 2010 to 2021 in Korea: Retrospective Cohort Study Using the Common Data Model

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate trends in antidiabetic drug use and assess the risk of metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

A retrospective observational analysis based on the common data model was conducted using electronic medical records from 2010 to 2021. The patients included were aged ≥18, diagnosed with CKD and type 2 diabetes, and had received antidiabetic medications for ≥30 days. MALA was defined as pH ≤ 7.35 and arterial lactate ≥4 mmol/L.

RESULTS

A total of 8318 patients were included, with 6185 in CKD stages 1-2 and 2133 in stages 3a-5. Metformin monotherapy was the most prescribed regimen, except in stage 5 CKD. As CKD progressed, metformin use significantly declined; insulin and meglitinides were most frequently prescribed in end-stage renal disease. Over the study period, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors (13.3%) and DPP-4 inhibitors (24.5%) increased significantly, while sulfonylurea use decreased (p < 0.05). Metformin use remained stable in earlier CKD stages but significantly decreased in stage 3b or worse. The incidence rate (IR) of MALA was 1.22 per 1000 patient-years, with a significantly increased IR in stage 4 or worse CKD (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Metformin was the most prescribed antidiabetic drug in CKD patients in Korea with a low risk of MALA. Antidiabetic drug use patterns varied across CKD stages, with a notable decline in metformin use in advanced CKD and a rise in SGLT2 inhibitor prescriptions, underscoring the need for further optimized therapy.

Prediction of glycosylated hemoglobin level in patients with cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus with respect to anti-diabetic medication

Blood glycosylated hemoglobin level can be affected by various factors in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Frequent measurements are expensive, and a suitable estimation method could improve treatment outcomes.

Patients and methods

93 patients were recruited in this research. We analyzed a number of parameters such as age, glucose level, blood pressure, Body Mass Index, cholesterol level, echocardiography et al. Patients were prescribed metformin. One group (n=60) additionally was taking sitagliptin. We applied eight machine learning methods (k nearest neighbors, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Extra Trees, XGBoost, Linear Regression including Lasso, and ElasticNet) to predict exact values of glycosylated hemoglobin in two years.

Results

We applied a feature selection approach using step-by-step removal of them, Linear Regression on remaining features, and Pearson's correlation coefficient on the validation set. As a result, we got four different subsets for each group. We compared all eight Machine Learning methods using different hyperparameters on validation sets and chose the best models. We tested the best models on the external testing set and got R2 = 0.88, C Index = 0.857, Accuracy = 0.846, and MAE (Mean Absolute Error) = 0.65 for the first group, R2 = 0.86, C Index = 0.80, Accuracy = 0.75, and MAE = 0.41 for the second group.

Conclusion

The resulting algorithms could be used to assist clinical decision-making on prescribing anti-diabetic medications in pursuit of achieving glycemic control.

Distribution and elimination kinetics of midazolam and metabolites after post-resuscitation care: a prospective observational study

Administration of sedatives for post-resuscitation care can complicate the determination of the optimal timing to avoid inappropriate, pessimistic prognostications. This prospective study aimed to investigate the distribution and elimination kinetics of midazolam (MDZ) and its metabolites, and their association with awakening time. The concentrations of MDZ and its seven metabolites were measured immediately and at 4, 8, 12, and 24 h after the discontinuation of MDZ infusion, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The area under the time-plasma concentration curve from 0 to 24 h after MDZ discontinuation (AUClast) was calculated based on the trapezoidal rule. Of the 15 enrolled patients, seven awakened after the discontinuation of MDZ infusion. MDZ and three of its metabolites were major compounds and their elimination kinetics followed a first-order elimination profile. In the multivariable analysis, only MDZ was associated with awakening time (AUClast: R2 = 0.59, p = 0.03; AUCinf: R2 = 0.96, p < 0.001). Specifically, a 0.001% increase in MDZ AUC was associated with a 1% increase in awakening time. In the individual regression analysis between MDZ concentration and awakening time, the mean MDZ concentration at awakening time was 16.8 ng/mL. The AUC of MDZ is the only significant factor associated with the awakening time.

Determinants of vitamin B12 deficiency in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus - A primary-care retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Like many developed nations, the prevalence of both older people and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Singapore is rising. This demographic shift predisposes the population to greater risks of both frailty and its complications that can be further aggravated by vitamin B12 deficiency -a highly prevalent associated variable that is potentially modifiable. Indeed, B12 deficiency adversely impacts the neuro-cognitive, haematological, and even the immune systems; jeopardizing our aspirations for successful aging. Despite this, many patients with T2DM in primary care remain unscreened due to a lack of clear guidelines for regular B12 screening. We therefore investigated the determinants of B12 deficiency in community-dwelling patients with T2DM, with the aim of profiling patients most in need of B12-deficiency screening.

METHODS

B12 deficiency was evaluated using a retrospective cross-sectional cohort of 592 primary-care patients with T2DM, recruited from 2008 to 2011 from a Polyclinic in Singapore.

RESULTS

B12 deficiency (serum B12 < 150 pmol/L) was present in 164 (27.7%) patients and was associated with a higher "metformin daily dose" (OR = 2.79; 95% CI, 2.22-3.48, P < 0.001); "age ≥ 80 years" (OR = 2.86; 95% CI, 1.31-6.25, P = 0.008); "vegetarianism" (OR = 21.61; 95% CI, 4.47-104.44, P < 0.001); and "folate deficiency" (OR = 2.04; 95% CI, 1.27-3.28, P = 0.003). Conversely, "Prescribed B12 supplementation" was associated with a lower odds of B12 deficiency (OR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.22-0.61, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.803 (95% CI: 0.765-0.842). "Metformin daily dose" correlated interchangeably with "Metformin 1-year cumulative dose" (r = 0.960; P < 0.01), and also associated linearly with "duration of diabetes" (B = 0.113, P < 0.0001). Independent of the duration of T2DM, 29.3% of the B12-deficient patients needed > 1 screening test before the detection of B12 deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary-care screening for B12 deficiency should be part of the annual laboratory review of patients with T2DM regardless of the duration of T2DM -especially when they are prescribed ≥ 1.5 g/day of metformin; ≥ 80 years old; vegetarian; and not prescribed B12 supplementation. Concurrent evaluation for associated folate (vitamin B9) deficiency is essential when addressing T2DM-associated B12 deficiencies. Current "Metformin daily dose" is an accurate proxy of both cumulative metformin exposure and duration of T2DM.

Continuous use of metformin in patients receiving contrast medium: what is the evidence? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Substantial inconsistencies exist in current guidelines regarding recommendations of metformin usage with the administration of a contrast medium. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis to determine whether the risks of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) and lactic acidosis increase with metformin use in diabetic patients receiving a contrast medium.

METHODS

Studies were retrieved from databases from inception to May 15, 2021. Studies that compared the outcomes of using metformin with not using metformin during contrast medium administration were included. The primary outcomes were incidence of CI-AKI and lactic acidosis. The secondary outcomes were renal function changes from baseline. Data analysis was using risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for continuous outcomes.

RESULTS

Analyses of two randomized controlled trials and four retrospective cohorts examining a total of 1459 patients revealed no significant differences in the incidence of CI-AKI (RR = 1.08; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.63) and in changes in renal function measurements (serum creatinine: MD = 0.00 mg/dL, 95% CI, - 0.05 to 0.05; estimated glomerular filtration rate: MD = 0.22, 95% CI, - 2.47 to 2.91) after contrast medium administration between patients using and not using metformin.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no evidence that continuing metformin during contrast medium administration is associated with a higher risk of CI-AKI, lactic acidosis, or renal function deterioration compared to patients who discontinued metformin or who were not metformin users. The limited quality of the included studies may compromise the strength of evidence provided in this meta-analysis.

KEY POINTS

There is no need to discontinue metformin either before or after intravenous contrast medium exposure in patients with eGFR > 30 mL/min/1.73 m2. In patients receiving intra-arterial contrast medium with first-pass renal exposure, there is no need to withhold metformin if eGFR is above 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. For patients who have an eGFR level between 30 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and are receiving intra-arterial contrast medium with first-pass renal exposure, no case of lactic acidosis was observed based on present data, but further evidence is needed to make a strong suggestion regarding its safety.

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Disease: The Past, Present, and Future

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in people with T2DM. Unfortunately, therapies strictly aimed at glycemic control have poorly contributed to a significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events. On the other hand, randomized controlled trials have shown that five glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and one exendin-based GLP-1 RA reduced atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes at high cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, a meta-analysis including these six agents showed a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events as well as all-cause mortality compared with placebo, regardless of structural homology. Evidence has also shown that some drugs in this class have beneficial effects on renal outcomes, such as preventing the onset of macroalbuminuria. In addition to lowering blood pressure, these drugs also favorably impacted on body weight in large randomized controlled trials as in real-world studies, a result considered a priority in T2DM management; these and other factors may justify the benefits of GLP-1 RAs upon the cardiovascular system, regardless of glycemic control. Finally, studies showed safety with a low risk of hypoglycemia and no increase in pancreatitis events. Given these benefits, GLP-1 RAs were preferentially endorsed in the guidelines of the European and American societies for patients with these conditions. This narrative review provides a current and comprehensive overview of GLP-1 RAs as cardiovascular and renal protective agents, far beyond their use as glucose-lowering drugs, supporting their effectiveness in treating patients with T2DM at high cardiovascular risk.

Treatment Patterns of Type 2 Diabetes Assessed Using a Common Data Model Based on Electronic Health Records of 2000-2019

BACKGROUND

Real-world data analysis is useful for identifying treatment patterns. Understanding drug prescription patterns of type 2 diabetes mellitus may facilitate diabetes management. We aimed to analyze treatment patterns of type 2 diabetes mellitus using Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model based on electronic health records.

METHODS

This retrospective, observational study employed electronic health records of patients who visited Jeonbuk National University Hospital in Korea during January 2000-December 2019. Data were transformed into the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model and analyzed using R version 4.0.3 and ATLAS ver. 2.7.6. Prescription frequency for each anti-diabetic drug, combination therapy pattern, and prescription pattern according to age, renal function, and glycated hemoglobin were analyzed.

RESULTS

The number of adults treated for type 2 diabetes mellitus increased from 1,867 (2.0%) in 2000 to 9,972 (5.9%) in 2019. In the early 2000s, sulfonylurea was most commonly prescribed (73%), and in the recent years, metformin has been most commonly prescribed (64%). Prescription rates for DPP4 and SGLT2 inhibitors have increased gradually over the past few years. Monotherapy prescription rates decreased, whereas triple and quadruple combination prescription rates increased steadily. Different drug prescription patterns according to age, renal function, and glycated hemoglobin were observed. The proportion of patients with HbA1c ≤ 7% increased from 31.1% in 2000 to 45.6% in 2019, but that of patients visiting the emergency room for severe hypoglycemia did not change over time.

CONCLUSION

Medication utilization patterns have changed significantly over the past 20 years with an increase in the use of newer drugs and a shift to combination therapies. In addition, various prescription patterns were demonstrated according to the patient characteristics in actual practice. Although glycemic control has improved, the proportion within the target is still low, underscoring the need to improve diabetes management.

Comparative Efficacy of Lobeglitazone Versus Pioglitazone on Albuminuria in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of lobeglitazone on albuminuria at 24 weeks of follow-up in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) compared with pioglitazone using data from a randomized, double-blinded phase III trial.

METHODS

In the phase III trial, patients who were inadequately controlled with metformin received 0.5 mg of lobeglitazone or 15 mg of pioglitazone for 24 weeks. Post hoc, exploratory analysis was used to investigate mean changes from baseline in the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) between the lobeglitazone (N = 104) and pioglitazone (N = 101) treatment groups.

RESULTS

After 24 weeks of treatment, UACR was slightly decreased in the lobeglitazone group (- 4.3 mg/g creatinine [Cr]) compared to baseline and slightly increased in the pioglitazone group (5.2 mg/g Cr), with no change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate in either group; this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.476). The incidence of new-onset microalbuminuria (2.4%) and the progression of albuminuria by > 1 stage (2.9%) in the lobeglitazone group were lower than the respective values in the pioglitazone group (6.8 and 6.1%, respectively). Of the patients in the lobeglitazone group, 50% exhibited regression to normoalbuminuria, compared to 39.3% of the patients in the pioglitazone. In subjects in the lobeglitazone group with micro- and macroalbuminuria, UACR tended to be more decreased and HbA1c was more reduced compared to those with normoalbuminuria (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Lobeglitazone had a tendency to improve albuminuria in patients with T2DM and had comparable effects on albuminuria as pioglitazone which has demonstrated beneficial effects.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01106131.

Pharmacotherapy for patients with diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex, chronic illness requiring continuous medical care with multifactorial riskreduction strategies besides glycemic control. The pathophysiology of type 2 DM is characterized by a combination of insulin resistance in peripheral organs, including the liver, adipose tissues, and muscle, and inadequate insulin secretion from the pancreatic β-cells to compensate for insulin resistance, which eventually leads to β-cell failure. DM is accompanied by micro- and macro-vascular complications, including cardiovascular events and renal complications, resulting in high mortality rates. After insulin was first discovered in 1922, many antidiabetic agents including metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, and α-glucosidase inhibitors have been developed. Among them, metformin is the preferred pharmacologic agent for the initial treatment of DM. Recently, novel antidiabetic agents, such as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, were introduced and are currently available for clinical practice. Studies with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors showed non-inferiority compared with placebo, in terms of cardiovascular safety. Some glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (liraglutide, semaglutide, albiglutide, and dulaglutide) showed favorable results in both cardiovascular and renal outcomes. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (empagliflozin, canagliflozin, and dapagliflozin) also showed beneficial effects on cardiovascular and renal outcomes. It is important for clinicians to study novel DM medications and prescribe them accordingly to improve patients’ clinical outcomes.

Metformin Use and Risk of All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

To evaluate whether metformin use assuredly alters overall all-cause death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched from inception to Feb. 29, 2020 with no language restriction. All related articles comparing all-cause death of T2DM and CKD patients after metformin use (monotherapy or combination) versus non-metformin treatment were identified. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using random-effects models regardless of the heterogeneity quantified by Cochrane χ2 and I2 statistics.

Results

Totally 13 studies (9 cohort studies [CSs], 3 subanalyses or post-hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials [RCTs], and 1 nested case-control article) involving 303,540 patients were included. Metformin-based treatments relative to any other measure displayed significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (Pooled RRs 0.71, 95%CI 0.61 to 0.84; I2 = 79.0%) and cardiovascular events (Pooled RRs 0.76, 95%CI 0.60 to 0.97; I2 = 87.0%) in CKD patients at stage G1-3, with substantial heterogeneity. Metformin use was not significantly related with these end points in advanced CKD patients.

Conclusions

Metformin use is connected with significantly less risks of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with T2DM and mild/moderate CKD. However, RCTs with large sample sizes are warranted in the future to assess whether these key benefits extend to later stages of CKD by dose adjustment.

The clinical application of metformin in children and adolescents: A short update

Metformin is a widely used drug that results in clear benefits in relation to glucose metabolism and diabetes-related complications. The global increase in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents is accompanied by the appearance and increasing prevalence of insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, children, and adolescents with premature pubarche and polycystic ovary have considerable degree of insulin resistance. The insulin sensitizing actions of metformin encouraged many investigators and physician to use it as the key drug in these conditions for both prevention and treatment. However, long term-controlled studies are still required to assess the degree and duration of effectiveness and safety of using metformin. This review tries to update physicians about the main and the new therapeutic perspectives of this drug.