title: Prescribing Patterns of Metformin in High-risk Patients with Prediabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective of this study is to examine the rates of metformin prescribing in patients with prediabetes who are either less than 60 years of age, have a BMI greater than 35 kg/m2, or women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Secondary objectives include: 1) examination of the time from diagnosis of prediabetes to the initiation of metformin and 2) if metformin initiation status and length of time correlates to the patient having any other additional diabetes mellitus (DM) risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single center, retrospective cohort study. This study included all patients with prediabetes, defined as having hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 39 through 46 mmol/mol (5.7-6.4 percent), who were patients at the Interim LSU Hospital and Clinics from January 2012-September 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a total of 13 patients out of 160 patients in the study population who were prescribed metformin for an overall metformin initiation rate of 8.1 percent. The metformin initiation rate for the three individual groups; history of GDM, aged less than 60 years, and BMI greater than 35 kg/m2 were 0 percent, 9.0 percent, and 17.5 percent respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metformin initiation rates in patients with prediabetes are not in accordance with current recommendations, and provider education is necessary to increase rates to delay or prevent the progression of prediabetes to type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Daniel L. Stirling is affiliated with Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Stirling
authors.affiliation: Ifeanyi Onor is affiliated with Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Ifeanyi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Onor
authors.affiliation: Daniel Sarpong, Ph.D., is affiliated with Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sarpong
authors.affiliation: Kristi Isaac Rapp is affiliated with Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Kristi Isaac
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.affiliation: Lori D. Crawford is affiliated with Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Lori D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin