Premium
Metformin and carotid intima‐media thickness in never‐smokers with type 1 diabetes: The REMOVAL trial
Author(s) -
Timmons Joseph G.,
Greenlaw Nicola,
Boyle James G.,
Chaturvedi Nish,
Ford Ian,
Brouwers Martijn C. G. J.,
Tillin Therese,
Hramiak Irene,
Hughes Alun D.,
Jenkins Alicia J.,
Klein Barbara E. K.,
Klein Ron,
Ooi Teik C.,
Rossing Peter,
Stehouwer Coen D. A.,
Sattar Naveed,
Colhoun Helen M.,
Petrie John R.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
diabetes, obesity and metabolism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.445
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1463-1326
pISSN - 1462-8902
DOI - 10.1111/dom.14350
Subject(s) - metformin , medicine , placebo , exploratory analysis , type 2 diabetes , diabetes mellitus , intima media thickness , subgroup analysis , randomized controlled trial , carotid arteries , cardiology , gastroenterology , endocrinology , confidence interval , pathology , alternative medicine , data science , computer science
Aim To determine whether metformin's effects on carotid artery intima‐media thickness (cIMT) in type 1 diabetes differ according to smoking status. Methods Regression model effect estimates for the effect of metformin versus placebo (double‐blind) on carotid IMT were calculated as a subgroup analysis of the REMOVAL trial. Results In 428 randomized participants (227 never‐smokers, 201 ever‐smokers), averaged mean carotid IMT progression (per year) was reduced by metformin versus placebo in never‐smokers (−0.012 mm, 95% CI −0.021 to −0.002; p = .0137) but not in ever‐smokers (0.003 mm, 95% CI −0.008 to 0.014; p = .5767); and similarly in non‐current smokers (−0.008 mm, 95% CI −0.015 to −0.00001; p = .0497) but not in current smokers (0.013 mm, 95% CI −0.007 to 0.032; p = .1887). Three‐way interaction terms (treatment*time*smoking status) were significant for never versus ever smoking ( p = .0373, prespecified) and non‐current versus current smoking ( p = .0496, exploratory). Averaged maximal carotid IMT progression (per year) was reduced by metformin versus placebo in never‐smokers (−0.020 mm, 95% CI −0.034 to −0.006; p = .0067) but not in ever‐smokers (−0.006 mm, 95% CI −0.020 to 0.008; p = .4067), although this analysis was not supported by a significant three‐way interaction term. Conclusions This subgroup analysis of the REMOVAL trial provides additional support for a potentially wider role of adjunct metformin therapy in cardiovascular risk management in type 1 diabetes, particularly for individuals who have never smoked cigarettes.