The Effect of Metformin as an Adjunct Therapy in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

The use of metformin as an add-on therapy to insulin in the treatment of poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus in adolescents

The aim of this integrative literature review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Metformin as an add-on therapy to insulin in poorly controlled overweight adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The research problem centered on providing optimum disease management during the most critical growth period and reducing the potential for cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality in the future. The findings suggested that Metformin, in conjunction with insulin therapy, helped patients to achieve better metabolic control. The quality of metabolic control varied between studies according to differences in study design, exclusion and inclusion criteria, and methods. Adjunctive Metformin therapy has a positive effect on diabetes management, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular-related complications with a minimal risk of side effects. Suggestions for further exploration of the research results and clinical implications are included in the review.

Homocysteine, interleukin-1β, and fasting blood glucose levels as prognostic markers for diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral infarction and correlated with carotid intima-media thickness

Diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral infarction (DMCI) has a high incidence and disability rate. Therefore, identification of biomarkers for the early prediction of the development and progression of cerebral infarction (CI) is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of this disease. The roles of serum homocysteine (Hey), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in DMCI and their correlations with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were explored. A total of 124 patients with DMCI (DMCI group) and 103 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) (DM group) admitted to the People's Hospital of Liuhe District of Nanjing were enrolled in this study. A further 100 healthy controls undergoing physical examinations during the same period (HC group) were also enrolled. CIMT value was detected by carotid artery ultrasound. Hey and FBG levels were determined by a fully automatic biochemical analyzer. The IL-1β level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of Hey, IL-1β, and FBG and the CIMT value in the DMCI and DM groups were significantly higher than those in the HC group (P<0.001). The levels and the value in the DMCI group were significantly higher than those in the DM group (P<0.001). Hey, IL-1β, and FBG levels were positively correlated with CIMT value (r=0.542, P<0.001; r=0.522, P<0.001; r=0.402, P<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that the sensitivity and specificity of Hey for diagnosing DMCI were 86.29 and 80.58%; those of IL-1β were 68.55 and 86.41%; those of FBG were 69.35 and 88.35%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), Hey, IL-1β, FBG, and CIMT were independent risk factors for DMCI (P<0.05). In conclusion, patients with DMCI have severe atherosclerosis. Hey, IL-1β, and FBG are involved in the development and progression of DMCI, so they can be used as predictive markers for the disease. Hey, IL-1β, FBG, and CIMT are independent risk factors for patients with DMCI.

A Review of Insulin Resistance in Type 1 Diabetes: Is There a Place for Adjunctive Metformin?

There is a rising trend of overweight and obesity among individuals with type 1 diabetes. This is often associated with insulin resistance, increased insulin dose requirements and poor glycemic control. Insulin resistance is also seen during puberty and is strongly related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The role of metformin as an adjunct to ongoing intensive insulin therapy in type 1 diabetics has been evaluated in several randomized trials, including the recently concluded T1D Exchange Network trial in adolescents and the REMOVAL trial in adults. Metformin reduces the insulin dose requirement, insulin-induced weight gain, and total and LDL cholesterol, but results in an increased risk of gastrointestinal adverse effects and a minor increase in the risk of hypoglycemia. In addition, metformin has been shown to reduce maximal carotid intima media thickness and therefore may extend cardioprotective benefits in type 1 diabetes. The role of metformin as adjunctive therapy in type 1 diabetes needs to be explored further in outcome trials.