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Title: Metformin is associated with a lower risk of active tuberculosis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Author: Lin SY, Tu HP, Lu PL, Chen TC, Wang WH, Chong IW, Chen YH. Journal: Respirology; 2018 Nov; 23(11):1063-1073. PubMed ID: 29943489. Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Metformin is an oral anti-diabetic therapy (ADT) to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and has been reported to have potential anti-tuberculosis (TB) effects. This study investigates the risk of active TB among persons with T2DM who were treated with various ADT and insulin therapies. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study using the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, including 49 028 T2DM patients who were metformin users (n = 44 002) or non-users (n = 5026). A total of 5026 propensity score-matched pairs of metformin users and non-users with T2DM were evaluated from 1998 to 2010. The data were analysed using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Patients with T2DM had a significantly higher rate of incident TB than did the control subjects (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.01; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.80-2.25). After adjusting for comorbidities, diabetes complications, ADT type and statin use, metformin use was an independent factor for predicting a reduced risk of active TB (adjusted relative risk (aRR): 0.24; 95% CI: 0.18-0.32). The association between metformin use and active TB risk was also consistent in most subgroup analyses, except for patients with metabolic disorders (aRR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.11-1.87). This protective effect of metformin was dose-dependent but diminished gradually in the elderly population. CONCLUSION: Among all types of ADT and insulin therapies, metformin is the only agent with a decreased risk of active TB in the T2DM population. However, this effect was diminished in the elderly population and was not observed in patients with metabolic disorders.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]