Metformin therapy is not associated with the lower prevalence of ascending aortic aneurysm in diabetic patients

• Published in: European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery 2022-01, Vol.61 (2), p.388-392
• Main Authors: Vignac, Maxime, Ntika, Stelia, Olsson, Christian, Franco-Cereceda, Anders, Björck, Hanna M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Aortic Aneurysm - epidemiology; Aortic Aneurysm - surgery; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - epidemiology; Aortic Valve - surgery; Diabetes Mellitus; Humans; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Metformin - therapeutic use; Mice; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 1010-7940; 1873-734X; 1873-734X
• DOI: 10.1093/ejcts/ezab435

Abstract   OBJECTIVES Metformin therapy has previously been associated with reduced abdominal aortic aneurysm growth rate in diabetic patients and shown to suppress the formation and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysm in normoglycemic mice. Here, we investigated the association between Metformin treatment and prevalence of aneurysm in the ascending aorta (AscAA). METHODS A total of 734 patients undergoing open-heart surgery for AscAA and/or aortic valve disease were studied. Diabetes status and medication use were self-reported by the patients in a systematic questionnaire. Aortic dilatation was defined as an aortic root or ascending aortic diameter ≥4.0 cm. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were assessed as a measure of systemic inflammation. RESULTS We could confirm the inverse association between diabetes and AscAA prevalence (16% vs 43.9%, for diabetic and non-diabetic patients, respectively; Odds ratio 0.243; 95% CI, 0.129–0.460, P