Does metformin protect against osteoarthritis? An electronic health record cohort study

Barnett, Lauren A. ; Jordan, Kelvin P.; Edwards, John J.; Van Der Windt, Danielle A.

Abstract

Background
Obesity is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA) whilst there is some evidence that diabetes also increases risk. Metformin is a common oral treatment for those with diabetes.

Objective
The aim is to investigate whether metformin reduces the risk of OA.

Methods
This was a cohort study set within the Consultations in Primary Care Archive, with 3217 patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients at 13 general practices with recorded type 2 diabetes in the baseline period (2002–2003) and no prior record of OA were identified. Exposure was a prescription for metformin. Outcome was an OA record during follow up. Cox proportional hazard models with Gamma frailty term were fitted: adjusted for age, gender, deprivation, and comorbidity.

Results
There was no association between prescribed metformin treatment at baseline and OA (adjusted HR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.15). A similar non- significant association was found when allowing exposure status of prescription of metformin to vary over time.

Citation

Barnett, L. A., Jordan, K. P., Edwards, J. J., & Van Der Windt, D. A. (2017). Does metformin protect against osteoarthritis? An electronic health record cohort study. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 623-628. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1463423617000287

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 16, 2017
• Publication Date: May 25, 2017
• Journal: Primary Health Care Research and Development
• Print ISSN: 1463-4236
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Pages: 623-628
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s1463423617000287
• Keywords: cohort, osteoarthritis, survival analysis
• Publisher URL: http://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423617000287
• PMID: 28539134