Metformin and risk of age-related macular degeneration in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study
Gokhale, Krishna M Adderley, Nicola J Subramanian, Anuradhaa Lee, Wen Hwa Han, Diana Coker, Jesse Braithwaite, Tasanee Denniston, Alastair K Keane, Pearse A Nirantharakumar, Krishnarajah
Gokhale, Krishna M
Adderley, Nicola J
Subramanian, Anuradhaa
Lee, Wen Hwa
Han, Diana
Coker, Jesse
Braithwaite, Tasanee
Denniston, Alastair K
Keane, Pearse A
Nirantharakumar, Krishnarajah
Abstract
Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in its late stages is a leading cause of sight loss in developed countries. Some previous studies have suggested that metformin may be associated with a reduced risk of developing AMD, but the evidence is inconclusive.
Aims: To explore the relationship between metformin use and development of AMD among patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK.
Methods: A large, population-based retrospective open cohort study with a time-dependent exposure design was carried out using IQVIA Medical Research Data, 1995-2019. Patients aged ≥40 with diagnosed type 2 diabetes were included.The exposed group was those prescribed metformin (with or without any other antidiabetic medications); the comparator (unexposed) group was those prescribed other antidiabetic medications only. The exposure status was treated as time varying, collected at 3-monthly time intervals.Extended Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate the adjusted HRs for development of the outcome, newly diagnosed AMD.
Results: A total of 173 689 patients, 57% men, mean (SD) age 62.8 (11.6) years, with incident type 2 diabetes and a record of one or more antidiabetic medications were included in the study. Median follow-up was 4.8 (IQR 2.3-8.3, range 0.5-23.8) years. 3111 (1.8%) patients developed AMD. The adjusted HR for diagnosis of AMD was 1.02 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.12) in patients prescribed metformin (with or without other antidiabetic medications) compared with those prescribed any other antidiabetic medication only.
Conclusion: We found no evidence that metformin was associated with risk of AMD in primary care patients requiring treatment for type 2 diabetes.
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Date
2022-02-03
Type
Article
Subject
Microbiology. Immunology, Elderly care., Oncology. Pathology.
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Citation
Gokhale KM, Adderley NJ, Subramanian A, Lee WH, Han D, Coker J, Braithwaite T, Denniston AK, Keane PA, Nirantharakumar K. Metformin and risk of age-related macular degeneration in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2023 Jul;107(7):980-986. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-319641. Epub 2022 Feb 3.
Journal / Source Title
British Journal of Ophthalmology
DOI
10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-319641
PMID
35115301
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Publisher’s URL
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/152/