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Metformin: Potential Savior from Heart Failure in Anthracycline-treated Diabetes Patients
![Metformin: Potential Savior from Heart Failure in Anthracycline-treated Diabetes Patients Metformin: Potential Savior from Heart Failure in Anthracycline-treated Diabetes Patients](https://medicaldialogues.in/h-upload/2023/05/22/750x450_210187-heart-failure-1.webp)
In an innovative revelation, metformin, a commonly prescribed medication for diabetes mellitus (DM), has emerged as a potential safeguard against heart failure (HF) in patients undergoing anthracycline-based cancer therapies. The study uncovered the connection between metformin advantage in symptomatic HF patients with DM receiving anthracycline treatments.
The study results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardio-oncology.
Heart failure (HF) prevention is critical in anthracycline-treated patients. Metformin, a commonly used diabetic treatment, protects against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in vitro and in animal models. Hence researchers from Pennsylvania, U.S.A. conducted a study to test the association of metformin with the occurrence of symptomatic HF in patients with DM receiving anthracyclines.
A comprehensive cohort of 561 DM patients embarking on new anthracycline regimens at a tertiary care center formed the basis of this study between 2008 and 2021. To ensure the robustness of the findings, propensity score matching was employed to equitably compare patients taking metformin with those not on this medication. The primary endpoint centered on the development of new symptomatic HF within the first year of anthracycline treatment initiation.
Results:
- Among the 315 individuals included in the study (average age of 65 ± 11 years, with 33.7% being male), meticulous matching ensured that patients in the metformin group were highly comparable to those in the non-metformin group in terms of age, gender, cancer type, concomitant medications, and cardiovascular risk factors.
- Strikingly, a mere six patients in the metformin group and 17 of their matched counterparts in the non-metformin group experienced HF within the first year of commencing anthracycline therapy.
- The incidence of HF was significantly lower among those receiving metformin during the initial year of anthracycline treatment.
- Furthermore, the use of metformin was associated with a noteworthy reduction in overall mortality.
This groundbreaking investigation has unveiled a potential shield against HF and an enhancement in overall survival in DM patients subjected to anthracycline-based chemotherapy - and that shield goes by the name of metformin. Nonetheless, the path forward entails rigorous validation through randomized controlled trials to definitively establish metformin's role as a guardian of cardiac health in this specific therapeutic context.
Further reading: The Association of Metformin With Heart Failure in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus Receiving Anthracycline Chemotherapy. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaccao.2023.05.013
BDS, MDS
Dr.Niharika Harsha B (BDS,MDS) completed her BDS from Govt Dental College, Hyderabad and MDS from Dr.NTR University of health sciences(Now Kaloji Rao University). She has 4 years of private dental practice and worked for 2 years as Consultant Oral Radiologist at a Dental Imaging Centre in Hyderabad. She worked as Research Assistant and scientific writer in the development of Oral Anti cancer screening device with her seniors. She has a deep intriguing wish in writing highly engaging, captivating and informative medical content for a wider audience. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.
Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751