title: Treatment of clinical insulin resistance in children: a systematic review.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving clinical insulin resistance and/or pre-diabetes in children. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. Five electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of at least 2-months' duration. The outcomes were fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), body mass index (BMI) and adverse outcomes. Four randomized controlled trials were identified. All compared the effect of 6 months of metformin plus or minus lifestyle intervention with placebo plus or minus lifestyle intervention. After pooling results from three trials, the mean difference after 6 months favoured the intervention with a statistically significant mean decrease in fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and BMI of 9.6 µU mL(-1) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3, 13.0 µU mL(-1) ; I(2) = 76%), 2.7 (95% CI: 1.7, 3.6; I(2) = 74%) and 1.7 kg m(-2) (95% CI: 1.1, 2.3 kg m(-2) ; I(2) = 75) respectively. Mild gastrointestinal symptoms were reported in 19% (2-29%; median and range) of participants taking metformin. Metformin improves markers of insulin sensitivity and reduces BMI in children and adolescents with clinical insulin resistance or pre-diabetes. Stronger evidence from high-quality studies of longer duration and larger sample size are required before clinical conclusions about the optimal treatment protocol in this population can be drawn.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Medical Program, University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Garnett
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Cowell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008687:Metformin