Metformin use linked to reduction of asthma exacerbations among adolescents

Written By : Dr. Shravani Dali |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2023-10-13T09:30:43+05:30 | Updated On 13 Oct 2023 11:41 AM IST

Metformin use linked to reduction of asthma exacerbations among adolescents suggests a new study published in the Pediatric Pulmonology.

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

MetforminuselinkedreductionasthmaexacerbationsamongadolescentsPediatric Pulmonology

Source : Pediatric Pulmonology

Dr. Shravani Dali

Dr. Shravani Dali has completed her BDS from Pravara institute of medical sciences, loni. Following which she extensively worked in the healthcare sector for 2+ years. She has been actively involved in writing blogs in field of health and wellness. Currently she is pursuing her Masters of public health-health administration from Tata institute of social sciences. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

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: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751