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Association of metformin treatment with enhanced effect of anti-VEGF agents in diabetic macular edema patients

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A Correction to this article was published on 03 February 2022

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the effect of metformin combined with anti-VEGF agents in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods

This study was a prospective, nonrandomized case–control study. Patients were included in with a diagnosis of DME who received anti-VEGF agents injection. Basic information, medical history, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), the number of intravitreal injections, panretinal photocoagulation (PRP), and macular grid photocoagulation treatment during the 6-month follow-up, were recorded for each patient.

Results

A total of 50 DME patients were collected (24 patients with a history of oral metformin ≥ 6 months and 26 patients who had not taken metformin). The BCVA and the CMT were significantly improved after anti-VEGF treatment in two groups (F1 = 19.35, F2 = 26.78; F1 = 65.45, F2 = 76.23; P < 0.05). The BCVA in the metformin group was better than that in non-metformin group at every point after treatment (F = 34.45, P < 0.05). The CMT in metformin group decreased much more than that in non-metformin group during the follow-up period (F = 87.05, P < 0.05). The injection numbers decreased in the metformin group compared with the non-metformin group (t = 5.14, P < 0.05). However, there was no difference in PRP and macular grid photocoagulation therapy between the two groups during the 6-month follow-up.

Conclusion

Metformin can enhance the therapeutic effect of anti-VEGF agents on DME patients to improve their visual acuity, improve the structure of the macular area, and reduce the number of intravitreal injections 90.

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Funding

Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital clinical research fund (2016LCKY005). National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (81900891).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin, China

    Yan Shao, Manqiao Wang, Yimeng Zhu, Xiaorong Li & Juping Liu

  2. Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Tianjin, China

    Yan Shao, Manqiao Wang, Yimeng Zhu, Xiaorong Li & Juping Liu

  3. Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin, China

    Yan Shao, Manqiao Wang, Yimeng Zhu, Xiaorong Li & Juping Liu

  4. Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China

    Yan Shao, Manqiao Wang, Yimeng Zhu, Xiaorong Li & Juping Liu

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  1. Yan Shao
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  2. Manqiao Wang
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  3. Yimeng Zhu
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  4. Xiaorong Li
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Correspondence to Xiaorong Li or Juping Liu.

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The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest in this work.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital (approval number: 2016KY-08) and adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual(s) for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.

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Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Yan Shao and Manqiao Wang are Co-first authors.

This article belongs to the topical collection Eye Complications of Diabetes, managed by Giuseppe Querques.

The original online version of this article was revised: Xiaorong Li updated as co-corresponding author.

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Shao, Y., Wang, M., Zhu, Y. et al. Association of metformin treatment with enhanced effect of anti-VEGF agents in diabetic macular edema patients. Acta Diabetol 59, 553–559 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-021-01833-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-021-01833-4

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