Decreasing airway hyperresponsiveness

This is a photo of white, metformin diabetes medicine laying on a lab counter.

A common drug prescribed for type 2 diabetes may also reduce asthma exacerbations in children, according to a new study from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine (UAMS) and Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

The drug, metformin, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. According to researchers, it also decreases airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling, making children who have asthma less dependent on steroid use and hospital visits. The study, Metformin Use Is Associated with Decreased Asthma Exacerbations in Adolescents and Young Adults,” was presented at the ATS 2024 International Conference in San Diego and published in ATS Journals.

“The link between obesity and asthma is thought to be complex and multifactorial, especially the metabolic complications of obesity such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes,” lead researcher Erhan Ararat, MD, told conference attendees. Dr. Ararat is a pulmonologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at UAMS.This is a professional headshot of the lead researcher in the article, Erhan Ararat, MD.Erhan Ararat, MD

Patients with asthma and obesity often experience greater disease severity, more symptoms and decreased quality of life as well as decreased response to standard therapies, Dr. Ararat said.

“So, this population needs additional therapies for asthma control,” he said. “Research shows that metformin may have effects on various factors.”

The study involved children between the ages of six and 17 with asthma, an outpatient, ER or inpatient encounter, type 2 diabetes or an elevated blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher and continuous medical and pharmacy enrollment for six months.

According to the results, there were no differences between the treatment and control groups in inpatient admissions, ER visits or steroid use (based on a zero-inflation model). However, based on a count model, the treatment group had significantly fewer inpatient admissions and significantly less steroid use.

“So, metformin may have potential to be a therapy in asthma patients,” Dr. Ararat said.

Dr. Ararat said studies of this type also should explore metformin’s effect on respiratory symptoms, inflammation and lung functions as well as whether patients who are not obese could benefit from this treatment.

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