Metformin and carotid intima-media thickness in never-smokers with type 1 diabetes: The REMOVAL trial.

PubMed ID: 33591613

Author(s): Timmons JG, Greenlaw N, Boyle JG, Chaturvedi N, Ford I, Brouwers MCGJ, Tillin T, Hramiak I, Hughes AD, Jenkins AJ, Klein BEK, Klein R, Ooi TC, Rossing P, Stehouwer CDA, Sattar N, Colhoun HM, Petrie JR; REMOVAL Study Group. Metformin and carotid intima-media thickness in never-smokers with type 1 diabetes: The REMOVAL trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2021 Jun;23(6):1371-1378. doi: 10.1111/dom.14350. Epub 2021 Mar 8. PMID 33591613

Journal: Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, Volume 23, Issue 6, Jun 2021

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.