Comparison of glucose metabolism and anthropometry in women with previous gestational diabetes treated with metformin vs. insulin:9-year follow-up of two randomized trials

Abstract Introduction: The main aim was to study whether the long-term incidences of type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome differed between women who were treated with metformin or insulin for gestational diabetes. Material and methods: This 9-year follow-up study of two open-label randomized trials compares metformin and insulin treatments of gestational diabetes. In all, 165 women, 88 previously treated with insulin and 77 treated with metformin in the index pregnancy, were included in the analyses. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed, and measures of anthropometry, glucose metabolism, serum lipids and inflammatory markers were compared between the treatment groups. Disorders of glucose metabolism (pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes) at the 9-year follow-up was the primary outcome of this study. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02417090. Results: The incidences of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes (40.3% vs. 46.6%, odds ratio [OR] 0.77, 95% CI 0.40–1.50, p = 0.51), type 2 diabetes (14.3% vs. 15.9%, OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.34–2.26, p = 0.94), pre-diabetes (26.0% vs. 30.7%, OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.38–1.65, p = 0.62), and metabolic syndrome (45.9% vs. 55.2%, OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.35–1.35, p = 0.31) were comparable between the metformin and insulin groups. Moreover, there were no evident differences in the individual measures of anthropometry, glucose metabolism including HOMA-insulin resistance, serum lipids or inflammatory markers between the two treatment groups. Conclusions: Treatment of gestational diabetes with metformin vs. insulin during pregnancy is unlikely to have diverging long-term effects on maternal anthropometry, glucose metabolism or serum lipids. From this perspective, both treatments may be considered in gestational diabetes

Metformin versus insulin therapy for gestational diabetes:effects on offspring anthropometrics and metabolism at the age of 9 years:a follow-up study of two open-label, randomized controlled trials

Abstract Aims: To compare anthropometrics, and lipid and glucose metabolism in the 9-year-old offspring of mothers treated with metformin or insulin for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Materials and methods: This was a Finnish two-centre, 9-year follow-up study of two open-label, randomized controlled trials comparing the effects observed in the offspring of mothers who received metformin and insulin treatment for GDM. Measurements included anthropometrics, blood pressure, lipoproteins, and oral glucose tolerance tests. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02417090. Results: At the age of 9 years 172 children (55% of the original study cohort, 82 from the metformin and 90 from the insulin group) participated in the study. No differences were found between the 9-year-old offspring groups in anthropometric variables, including body mass index and waist-to-height ratio. The offspring in the metformin group had higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations (1.72 vs. 1.54 mmol/L; P = 0.039) but lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.39 vs. 2.58 mmol/L; P = 0.046) and apolipoprotein B concentrations (0.63 vs. 0.67 g/L; P = 0.043) than the offspring in the insulin group. The difference in HDL cholesterol concentration was found to be significant only in boys (P = 0.003). The 2-hour glucose value in the oral glucose tolerance test was 0.6-mmol/L lower in boys from the metformin group than in those from the insulin group (P = 0.015). Conclusions: Metformin treatment for GDM is associated with similar offspring growth and glucose metabolism but a more favourable lipid profile at the age of 9 years as compared to insulin treatment

Metformin versus insulin for gestational diabetes:adiposity variables and adipocytokines in offspring at age of 9 years

Abstract Aims: To compare body composition, visceral adiposity, adipocytokines, and low-grade inflammation markers in prepubertal offspring of mothers who were treated with metformin or insulin for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: 172 offspring of 311 mothers randomized to receive metformin (n = 82) or insulin (n = 90) for GDM were studied at 9 years of age (follow-up rate 55%). Measurements included anthropometrics, adipocytokines, markers of the low-grade inflammation, abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic liver spectrometry (MRS), and whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: Serum markers of low-grade inflammation, visceral adipose tissue volume, total fat percentage, and liver fat percentage were similar between the study groups. Serum adiponectin concentration was higher in children in the metformin group compared to insulin group (median 10.37 vs 9.50 µg/ml, p = 0.016). This difference between groups was observed in boys only (median 12.13 vs 7.50 µg/ml, p < 0.001). Leptin/adiponectin-ratio was lower in boys in the metformin group than in the insulin group (median 0.30 vs 0.75; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Maternal metformin treatment for GDM had no effects on adiposity, body composition, liver fat, or inflammation markers in prepubertal offspring compared to maternal insulin treatment but was associated with higher adiponectin concentration and lower leptin/adiponectin-ratio in boys