Metformin and the Development of Asthma in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Wei, JCC (通讯作者)，Chung Shan Med Univ Hosp, Dept Allergy Immunol & Rheumatol, Taichung 40201, Taiwan.;Wei, JCC (通讯作者)，Chung Shan Med Univ, Inst Med, Taichung 40201, Taiwan.;Wei, JCC (通讯作者)，China Med Univ, Grad Inst Integrated Med, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.;Hwu, CM (通讯作者)，Natl Yang Ming Univ, Fac Med, Sch Med, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.;Hwu, CM (通讯作者)，Taipei Vet Gen Hosp, Dept Med, Sect Endocrinol & Metab, Taipei 11217, Taiwan.
We conducted this study to compare the risks of asthma development and exacerbation between metformin users and nonusers. Overall, 57,743 propensity score-matched metformin users and nonusers were identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 1 January 2000, and 31 December 2017. We used the Cox proportional hazards model with robust standard error estimates to compare the risks of asthma onset, exacerbation, and hospitalization for asthma in participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Compared with metformin nonuse, the aHRs (95% CI) for metformin use in asthma development, exacerbation, and hospitalization for asthma were 1.13 (1.06-1.2), 1.62 (1.35-1.95), and 1.5 (1.22-1.85), respectively. The cumulative incidences of asthma development, exacerbation, and hospitalization for asthma were significantly higher in metformin users than nonusers (p < 0.001). A longer cumulative duration of metformin use for more than 728 days was associated with significantly higher risks of outcomes than metformin nonuse. Our study demonstrated that metformin users showed significantly higher risks of asthma development, exacerbation, and hospitalization for asthma than metformin nonusers. Moreover, metformin use for more than 728 days was associated with higher risks of outcomes. A randomized control study is warranted to verify our results.
