Short-Term Metformin Protects Against Glucocorticoid-Induced Toxicity in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Primary result · Change in insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index)Result — go to the resultMean difference of change −4.94 95% CI −7.24 to −2.65Authors' conclusion
Metformin prevents GC-induced insulin resistance and reduces markers of dyslipidemia, myopathy, and, possibly, bone resorption through AMPK-dependent and -independent pathways.
Study context
- Population
- Lean, healthy male participants receiving high-dose glucocorticoid; University Hospital Basel, Switzerland17 analysed
- Participants
- 18 participants
- Comparison
- Metformin vs placebo during high-dose prednisone
- Primary endpoint
- Change in insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index)
- Follow-up
- 7-day period
Methodological detailssingle-centre, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled
- Single-centre
- Crossover
- Double-blind
- Placebo-controlled
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Mean difference of change
−4.94
95% CI −7.24 to −2.65
P < 0.001
Change by group
Placebo
−2.73
mean · SD 3.55
Metformin
2.21
mean · SD 3.95
Placebovs Metformin
mean difference of change −4.94 (95% CI −7.24 to −2.65); P < 0.001
Further findings
Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses
- Metformin altered fatty acid flux in blood and downregulated fatty acid synthesis genes in adipose tissue
- Metformin reduced markers of protein breakdown and bone resorption
- Metformin downregulated genes responsible for AMPK inhibition and affected GLP-1 and bile acid metabolism
Original publication
Short-Term Metformin Protects Against Glucocorticoid-Induced Toxicity in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Diabetes Care. Published 3 February 2025. doi:10.
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