Metformin use linked to reduction of asthma exacerbations among adolescents

Metformin is a commonly used antidiabetes medication with suggested anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. Metformin use has been associated with lower risk of asthma exacerbations and hospitalizations in adults. Here, we aimed to evaluate how asthma exacerbation rates changed after adolescents and young adults were prescribed metformin, and to learn if those changes were related to metformin prescription adherence.

Using secondary data of patients between 12 and 20 years old with asthma diagnosis and a metformin prescription from the Arkansas All Payers Claim Database and Arkansas School body mass index (BMI) database, we estimated the change in annualized asthma exacerbation rates after metformin prescription. We also evaluated the association of prescription adherence to the changes in those rates using univariate and multivariate regression models.

Results:

A total of 464 patients met inclusion criteria. Outpatient exacerbation rates decreased after metformin prescription (13.4% only before vs. 7.8% only after, p = .009), and the annualized rate decreased more after metformin prescription as adherence increased (rank r = -.165, p < .001). After adjusting for potential confounders-age, sex, BMI, and inhaled corticoid steroid use-the strength of the association was attenuated.

Asthma exacerbation rates decreased after metformin prescription, but a larger sample of patients who have experienced exacerbations and including patients with asthma who have not been prescribed metformin is needed to better know whether these decreases are driven by metformin use.

Reference:

Ararat E, Landes RD, Forno E, Tas E, Perry TT. Metformin use is associated with decreased asthma exacerbations in adolescents and young adults. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2023 Sep 29. doi: 10.1002/ppul.26704. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37772681.

Keywords:

Metformin, use, linked, reduction, asthma, exacerbations, among, adolescents, Ararat E, Landes RD, Forno E, Tas E, Perry TT, Pediatric Pulmonology