In a new study, the medication metformin significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19 in people with diabetes.
- After analyzing data from a diverse patient population, the researchers found that individuals taking metformin, a drug for type 2 diabetes, were less likely to die from COVID-19 than those who did not use metformin. .
- Their study also highlighted the fact that black people made up an excessive number of those who tested positive for COVID-19.
- According to the researchers, this inequality is likely due to socioeconomic factors, lack of access to health care and a higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among black populations.
Researchers have found that people with diabetes who are treated with the medication metformin are significantly less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who do not use the medication.
The study, which appears in the journal Boundaries in endocrinology, also found that participants in African-American study were excessively more likely to contract the virus than white participants.
A critical area of COVID-19 research has focused on the risk factors that are likely to cause a person to develop a SARS-CoV-2 infection, or to die from COVID-19.
SARS-CoV-2 is a new coronavirus, and although it has similarities to other coronaviruses, there is still much that researchers still need to discover about how and why it affects some people more than others and how to reduce the risks.
Studies have been started on specific health issues, demographic characteristics and the chance of contracting SARS-CoV-2 or dying from COVID-19. This research backs up early anecdotal evidence and observational studies.
The more convincing studies provide evidence of these links, the more robust the overall findings. Meta-analyzes of the available scientific literature can then demonstrate the whole picture.
In the current study, the researchers were interested in investigating the characteristics of patients associated with COVID-19 in the U.S. population, which includes many black people.
The researchers note that black people tend to be at a higher risk for key comorbidities that will make them more likely to develop COVID-19, including diabetes.
The researchers also emphasize that COVID-19 is excessively affecting African Americans, as well as various marginalized groups – findings that already reflect the widespread health inequalities due to systemic racism.
The researchers conducted a retrospective observational study and looked at 25,326 people who were tested for COVID-19 between February 25 and June 22, 2020 at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham (UAB).
The researchers looked at unidentified data on health records to give their demographic and medical information to each person.
A total of 604 people tested positive for COVID-19, which according to the researchers is a relatively low rate. They speculate that this may be due to the number of asymptomatic hospital staff and patients undergoing elective procedures who have undergone tests.
The authors point out that despite the fact that black people make up 26% of the Alabama population, they represent 52% of those who tested positive for COVID-19.
However, the mortality rate due to COVID-19 in black patients was not significantly different from that in white patients.
According to prof. Anath Shalev, director of UAB’s Comprehensive Diabetes Center and leader of the study: ‘In our group, being African-American appears to be primarily a risk factor for COVID-19, rather than for death. This suggests that any racial diversity observed is likely due to exposure risk and external socioeconomic factors, including access to proper health care. ”
Of the people who tested positive for COVID-19, 70% had hypertension, 61% had obesity and 40% had diabetes.
Of the patients who tested positive for COVID-19, 11% died. In 93% of the cases, the person who died was older than 50 years.
The researchers also found that men and hypertension are associated with an increased risk of death due to COVID-19.
People with diabetes accounted for 67% of deaths, suggesting that this condition had a particular impact on the risk of death.
The researchers then analyzed the data to determine potential covariates that could influence other risk factors. They identified age, gender, and diabetes as important independent risk factors for COVID-19 death.
Finally, the researchers looked at people with diabetes in more detail. They found that those who tested positive and used metformin – a medication used by doctors to treat diabetes – had an 11% risk of dying, which was the same as that of the general population. By comparison, those with diabetes who did not use metformin have a 24% risk of dying.
Prof. Shalev notes: “This beneficial effect has persisted even after being corrected for age, gender, race, obesity and hypertension or chronic kidney disease and heart failure.”
‘As similar results have now been obtained in different populations from around the world – including China, France and a [UnitedHealth] analysis – this suggests that the observed decrease in mortality risk associated with the use of metformin in subjects with type 2 diabetes and COVID-19 can be generalized. ”
– Prof. Anath Shalev
The researchers could not confirm why metformin may have these effects. As a diabetes treatment, it can improve glycemic control or obesity.
But among those with diabetes who took metformin, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose levels, and hemoglobin A1C levels, the people who died were not higher than those who survived.
Consequently, prof. Shalev for that ‘[t]The mechanisms may include the previously described inflammatory and antithrombotic effects of metformin. ”
To further develop the findings, the researchers suggest that future research should investigate why metformin may have this protective effect and the potential risks and benefits of prescribing the medication to protect against COVID-19.
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