“This study continues to provide the rationale for future research on metformin for COVID-19. We are fortunate to have biostatisticians and informatics experts in our Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences who are exceptional in observational analyses,” said Carolyn Bramante, MD, assistant professor. Professor at the Medical School of Minnesota and an internist and pediatrician with M Health Fairview.
It has reduced the severity of the COVID-19 infection.
In this study, among adults with type 2 diabetes taking medication for high blood sugar, those taking metformin had a 45% lower risk of needing a ventilator (ventilator) or dying from COVID-19 compared to similar people not taking it. Metformin as their diabetic drug.
At the beginning of this year, Dr. Another study by Bramante found that metformin reduced the likelihood of an emergency room visit, hospitalization, or death due to COVID-19 (2)✔ ✔Reliable Source
An observational study of metformin and risk of death in patients hospitalized with Covid-19
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).
How Metformin, a Diabetic Drug, Helped Patients with COVID-19 Infection?
A study conducted a few months ago reported that metformin, when given as treatment to diabetic COVID-19 patients, showed less inflammation, markers of renal ischemia and thrombosis, fewer hospital days, and the need for intubation ( 3✔ ✔Reliable Source
Metformin use in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: lower inflammation, oxidative stress, and thrombotic risk markers and better clinical outcomes
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).
How has COVID-19 affected people with diabetes?
The COVID-19 pandemic only superimposed the existing diabetes pandemic to create a rapid and highly susceptible group of COVID-19 and diabetes patients.
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It has been clearly established that patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), severe obesity, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension are more likely to be infected with COVID-19 and have a higher risk of death due to this infection (4).✔ ✔Reliable Source
Unraveling the Connection Between the Coronavirus and Diabetes
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).
But some of the diabetics were protected by the diabetes drug metformin. In various test-tube experiments where metformin stopped the virus from multiplying (5✔ ✔Reliable Source
Inhibition of mitochondrial ATP and DNA synthesis by metformin abrogates NLRP3 inflammasome activation and lung inflammation.
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Researchers say metformin is safe, cheap and widely available. Thus, more clinical trials are warranted to further describe the relationship between metformin and COVID-19 and other viral infections.
References:
- Associations with Diabetes Medications and Covid-19 Outcomes in the N3C Database: A National Retrospective Cohort Study – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36395143/)
- An observational study of Metformin and risk of death in patients hospitalized with Covid-19 – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7325185/)
- Metformin use in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: lower inflammation, oxidative stress and thrombotic risk markers and better clinical outcomes – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8764325/)
- Unraveling the link between coronavirus and diabetes – (https://benthamscience.com/article/121988)
- Inhibition of mitochondrial ATP and DNA synthesis by metformin abrogates NLRP3 inflammasome activation and lung inflammation – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34115964)
Source: Medium
