title: Efficacy of metformin in the treatment of NIDDM. Meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The results differ concerning randomized controlled trials of the effects of metformin on blood glucose regulation and body weight. To get a systematic overview, a meta-analysis of the efficacy of metformin was performed by comparing metformin with placebo and sulfonylurea.
  
  
  METHODS
  All randomized controlled trials published since 1957 were selected by searching the Current List of Medical Literature, Cumulated Index Medicus, Medline, and Embase, Meta-analysis was performed calculating weighted mean difference (WMD) of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and body weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine randomized controlled trials comparing metformin with placebo and ten comparing metformin with sulfonylurea were identified. The WMD between metformin and placebo after treatment for fasting blood glucose was -2.0 mmol/l (95% CI -2.4 to -1.7) and for glycosylated hemoglobin -0.9% (95% CI -1.1 to -0.7). Body weight WMD was not significant after treatment. Sulfonylurea and metformin lowered blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin equally, while there was a significant WMD of body weight (-2.9 kg [95% CI -4.4 to -1.1]) because of a 1.7-kg mean increase after sulfonylurea and a 1.2-kg mean decrease after metformin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metformin lowers blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin significantly, compared with placebo. Metformin and sulfonylurea have an equal effect on fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin, but the body weight is significantly lower after metformin compared with sulfonylurea treatment because of an increase in body weight after sulfonylurea treatment.
authors.affiliation: Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johansen
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008523:MEDLARS; D016239:MEDLINE; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin