Metformin effectiveness and safety in the management of overweight/obese nondiabetic children and adolescents: metabolic benefits of the continuous exposure to metformin at 12 and 24 months

Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Children and Adolescents: An Update on Pharmacologic Treatment Options

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin condition that manifests as painful, deep-seated, inflamed nodules and abscesses in the axillary, groin, perianal, perineal, and inframammary regions. The associated pain, malodour, and disfigurement contribute to its profound negative impact on psychosocial spheres and overall quality of life in affected individuals. Although the symptoms of HS classically begin in the second or third decade of life, HS affects children and adolescents as well. Despite this, there are limited pediatric data on treatment, which are largely based on expert opinion, extrapolation of efficacy data in adults with HS, and safety information from medication use in other pediatric diseases. On this basis, there exist several pharmacological modalities in the treatment of children and adolescents with HS including topical therapies, systemic therapies, and biologics. The goals of this review article are to: (1) review the efficacy of different pharmacological treatment modalities in children and adolescents with HS, and (2) review the safety and monitoring considerations of the different treatment options in children and adolescents with HS.

Double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial of metformin as an adjunct to a sleep-wake, activity and metabolically focused behavioural intervention to improve cardiometabolic outcomes and mood symptoms in youth with major mood syndromes: study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Metformin is a medication likely to improve measures of cardiometabolic disturbance in young people with mental illness. Evidence also suggests metformin may improve depressive symptoms. This 52-week double-blind randomised control trial (RCT) aims to investigate the efficacy of metformin pharmacotherapy as an adjunct to a healthy lifestyle behavioural intervention in improving cardiometabolic outcomes, and depressive, anxiety and psychotic symptoms in youth with clinically diagnosed major mood syndromes.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

At least 266 young people aged 16-25 presenting for mental healthcare for major mood syndromes who are also at risk for poor cardiometabolic outcomes will be invited to participate in this study. All participants will engage in a 12-week sleep-wake, activity and metabolically focused behavioural intervention programme. As an adjunctive intervention, participants will receive either metformin (500-1000 mg) or placebo pharmacotherapy for 52 weeks.Participants will undergo a series of assessments including: (1) self-report and clinician-administered assessments; (2) blood tests; (3) anthropometric assessments (height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure); and (4) actigraphy. Univariate and multivariate tests (generalised mixed-effects models) will be used to examine changes in primary and secondary outcomes (and associations with predetermined predictor variables).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been approved by the Sydney Local Health District Research Ethics and Governance Office (X22-0017). The results of this double-blind RCT will be disseminated into the scientific and broader community through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, social media and university websites.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) Number: ACTRN12619001559101p, 12 November 2019.

Appraisal of Clinical Care Practices for Child Obesity Treatment. Part I: Interventions

The objective of this technical report is to provide clinicians with evidence-based, actionable information upon which to make assessment and treatment decisions for children and adolescents with obesity. In addition, this report will provide an evidence base to inform clinical practice guidelines for the management and treatment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. To this end, the goal of this report was to identify all relevant studies to answer 2 overarching key questions: (KQ1) "What are clinically based, effective treatments for obesity?" and (KQ2) "What is the risk of comorbidities among children with obesity?" See Appendix 1 for the conceptual framework and a priori key questions.

Association between clinical outcomes and metformin use in adults with sickle cell disease and diabetes mellitus

Metformin was recently found to increase fetal hemoglobin, which is protective in sickle cell disease (SCD). We tested the hypothesis that, among adults with SCD and diabetes mellitus (DM), metformin use is associated with fewer adverse SCD clinical outcomes and lower health care utilization. This is a retrospective cohort study using the MarketScan Medicaid claims database for 2006 to 2016, comparing metformin users and nonusers. Patients on hydroxyurea, insulin, or iron chelation were excluded. Main outcomes included annual rates of all-cause inpatient encounters, all-cause emergency department (ED) encounters, inpatient and ED encounters with SCD codes, vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs), strokes, acute chest syndrome (ACS), avascular necrosis (AVN), and gallstones. Of 457 adults (median age [interquartile range], 43 years [33-52 years]; 72% female), 142 (31%) were treated with metformin. Adjusted for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index, metformin users had significantly lower rate ratios of all-cause inpatient encounters (0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-0.88; P < .01), inpatient encounters with SCD codes (0.45; 95% CI, 0.30-0.66; P < .01), ED encounters with SCD codes (0.34; 95% CI, 0.21-0.54; P < .01), VOE (0.22; 95% CI, 0.12-0.41; P < .01), ACS (0.17; 95% CI, 0.05-0.60; P = .01), and AVN (0.30; 95% CI, 0.11-0.87; P = .03). A subgroup analysis of 54 enrollees preinitiation and postinitiation of metformin did not indicate significant changes in rates of clinical events. Metformin was associated with significantly fewer inpatient and ED SCD encounters in adults with SCD and DM; however, confounding of underlying SCD severity cannot be excluded.

Effects of metformin administration on endocrine-metabolic parameters, visceral adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors in children with obesity and risk markers for metabolic syndrome: A pilot study

Background

Metformin treatment (1000–2000 mg/day) over 6 months in pubertal children and/or adolescents with obesity and hyperinsulinism is associated with a reduction in body mass index (BMI) and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). We aimed to ascertain if long-term treatment (24 months) with lower doses of metformin (850 mg/day) normalizes the endocrine-metabolic abnormalities, improves body composition, and reduces the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in pre-puberal and early pubertal children with obesity.

Methods

A pilot double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 18 pre-puberal and early pubertal (Tanner stage I-II) children with obesity and risk markers for metabolic syndrome. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive metformin (850 mg/day) or placebo for 24 months. Clinical, biochemical (insulin, lipids, leptin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP]), and imaging (body composition [dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging]) parameters as well as cIMT (ultrasonography) were assessed at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months.

Results

The 12-month treatment tend to cause a reduction in weight standard deviation scores (SDS), BMI-SDS, leptin, leptin–to–high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin ratio, hsCRP, cIMT, fat mass, and liver fat in metformin-treated children compared with placebo. The effect of metformin on the reduction of BMI-SDS, leptin, leptin-to-HMW adiponectin ratio, hsCRP, and liver fat seemed to be maintained after completing the 24 months of treatment. No changes in insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) or adverse effects were detected.

Conclusion

In this pilot study, metformin treatment in pre-puberal and early pubertal children with obesity seemed to improve body composition and inflammation markers. Our data encourage the development of future fully powered trials using 850 mg/day metformin in young children, highlighting its excellent tolerance and potential long-term benefits.

Association of pediatric obesity and asthma, pulmonary physiology, metabolic dysregulation, and atopy; and the role of weight management

Introduction: Obesity affects about 40% of US adults and 18% of children. Its impact on the pulmonary system is best described for asthma. Areas covered: We reviewed the literature on PubMed and Google Scholar databases and summarize the effect of obesity, its associated metabolic dysregulation and altered systemic immune responses, and that of weight gain and loss on pulmonary mechanics, asthma inception, and disease burden. We include a distinct approach for diagnosing and managing the disease, including pulmonary function deficits inherent to obesity-related asthma, in light of its poor response to current asthma medications. Expert opinion: Given the projected increase in obesity, obesity-related asthma needs to be addressed now. Research on the contribution of metabolic abnormalities and systemic immune responses, intricately linked with truncal adiposity, and that of lack of atopy, to asthma disease burden, and pulmonary function deficits among obese children is fairly consistent. Since current asthma medications are more effective for atopic asthma, investigation for atopy will guide management by distinguishing asthma responsive to current medications from the non-responsive disease. Future research is needed to elucidate mechanisms by which obesity-mediated metabolic abnormalities and immune responses cause medication non-responsive asthma, which will inform repurposing of medications and drug discovery.

Use of Metformin for Weight Management in Children and Adolescents With Obesity in the Clinical Setting

Use of metformin for weight loss for children in a clinical setting has not been well described; therefore, we aimed to identify characteristics of obese patients prescribed metformin in a clinical setting and evaluate changes in anthropometric measures. Records of obese patients aged 10 to 18 years without diabetes attending an academic endocrinology practice from 2009 to 2013 were reviewed. Analyses assessed changes in anthropometric measures (weight, body mass index [BMI], and BMI z-score) over 12 months between those prescribed metformin (n = 49) and those not prescribed metformin (n = 142). Outcomes were standardized before using multivariable linear regression models. Patients prescribed metformin were significantly older, more often female, and had larger baseline anthropometric measures (all P < .05). In the models, subjects prescribed metformin had significantly less gain in standardized weight, BMI, and BMI z-score over 6 and 12 months (all P < .05). Metformin may be a useful weight management aid in children in a clinical setting.

Long-term metformin treatment in adolescents with obesity and insulin resistance, results of an open label extension study

Background/Objectives

Off-label metformin is nowadays frequently used for the treatment of obesity in adolescents. However, studies on long-term metformin treatment in adolescents with obesity are scarce. Therefore, an 18 month open label extension study following an 18 months randomized placebo-controlled trial (RCT) on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of metformin in adolescents with obesity and insulin resistance was performed.

Subjects/Methods

After completion of the RCT, metformin was offered to all participants with a body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-sds) > 2.3 and Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) ≥ 3.4. Endpoints were change in BMI and HOMA-IR.

Results

Overall, 31/42 participants completed the extension study (74% girls, median age 14.8 (11.6 – 17.9), BMI 31.2 (22.3 – 45.1), HOMA-IR 3.4 (0.2 – 8.8)). At start, 22/42 (52.4%) participants were eligible for metformin of which 13 (59.0%) agreed with treatment. In participants who continued metformin, an increase was observed in BMI (+2.2 (+0.2 to +9.0)) and HOMA-IR (+13.7 (+1.6 to +48.3)). In metformin naive participants, BMI stabilized after an initial decrease (+0.5 (−2.1 to +5.1)). For HOMA-IR, a decrease was observed (−1.1 (−4.6 to +1.4)).

Conclusion

While metformin treatment in metformin naive participants seems to result in an initial decrease in BMI and HOMA-IR, there is no evidence for sustained effect after prolonged use in adolescents. Limited compliance and/or insufficient dose may explain the differences in long-term effects between adolescents and adults.

Glucose alteration and insulin resistance in asymptomatic obese children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Obesity is associated with the abnormal glucose metabolism preceding type 2 diabetes mellitus. Thus, further investigation on the prediction of this lethal outcome must be sought. The objective was the profile glycemic assessment of asymptomatic obese children and adolescents from Salvador, Brazil.

METHOD

A fasting venous blood sample was obtained from 90 consecutive obese individuals aged 8-18 years, of both sexes, for laboratory determinations of glycated hemoglobin, basal insulin, and the Homeostasis Model Assessment Insulin Resistance index. The clinical evaluation included weight, height, waist circumference, assessment of pubertal development, and acanthosis nigricans research. The body mass index/age indicator was used for the severity of overweight assessment.

RESULTS

Glycemic alterations were evidenced clinically and biochemically, although these individuals had no complaints or symptoms related to blood sugar levels. Quantitative and qualitative variables were respectively expressed measures of central tendency/dispersion and simple/relative frequency, using the SPSS, version 20.0. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

CONCLUSION

Notably, this study found a high prevalence of glucose and insulin disorders in asymptomatic obese children and adolescents.

The effect of obesity, weight gain, and weight loss on asthma inception and control

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is ample and growing evidence that obesity increases the risk of asthma and morbidity from asthma. Here, we review recent clinical evidence supporting a causal link between obesity and asthma, and the mechanisms that may lead to 'obese asthma'.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although in some children obesity and asthma simply co-occur, those with 'obese asthma' have increased asthma severity, lower quality of life, and reduced medication response. Underlying mechanistic pathways may include anatomical changes of the airways such as obstruction and dysanapsis, systemic inflammation, production of adipokines, impaired glucose-insulin metabolism, altered nutrient levels, genetic and epigenetic changes, and alterations in the airway and/or gut microbiome. A few small studies have shown that weight loss interventions may lead to improvements in asthma outcomes, but thus far research on therapeutic interventions for these children has been limited.

SUMMARY

Obesity increases the risk of asthma - and worsens asthma severity or control - via multiple mechanisms. 'Obese asthma' is a complex, multifactorial phenotype in children. Obesity and its complications must be managed as part of the treatment of asthma in obese children.

Metformin for Obesity in Prepubertal and Pubertal Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

Metformin has shown its effectiveness in treating obesity in adults. However, little research has been conducted in children, with a lack of attention on pubertal status. The objectives were to determine whether oral metformin treatment reduces BMI z score, cardiovascular risk, and inflammation biomarkers in children who are obese depending on pubertal stage and sex.

METHODS

This was a randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial, stratified according to pubertal stage and sex, conducted at 4 Spanish clinical hospitals. Eighty prepubertal and 80 pubertal nondiabetic children who were obese aged 7 to 14 years with a BMI >95th percentiles were recruited. The intervention included 1 g/d of metformin versus placebo for 6 months. The primary outcome was a reduction in BMI z score. Secondary outcomes comprised insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk, and inflammation biomarkers.

RESULTS

A total of 140 children completed the study (72 boys). Metformin decreased the BMI z score versus placebo in the prepubertal group (-0.8 and -0.6, respectively; difference, 0.2; P = .04). Significant increments were observed in prepubertal children treated with metformin versus placebo recipients in the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (0.010 and -0.007; difference, 0.017; P = .01) and the adiponectin-leptin ratio (0.96 and 0.15; difference, 0.81; P = .01) and declines in interferon-γ (-5.6 and 0; difference, 5.6; P = .02) and total plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (-1.7 and 2.4; difference, 4.1; P = .04). No serious adverse effects were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

“Metformin decreased the BMI z score and improved inflammatory and cardiovascular-related obesity parameters only in prepubertal children, but a differential effect of metformin was not observed in prepubertal compared to pubertal children. Nevertheless, the doses per kilogram of weight administrated may have had an impact on the metformin effect. Further investigations are necessary.”

Retrospective Evaluation of Metformin and/or Metformin Plus a New Polysaccharide Complex in Treating Severe Hyperinsulinism and Insulin Resistance in Obese Children and Adolescents with Metabolic Syndrome

Background: Pharmacological treatment of obesity and glucose-insulin metabolism disorders in children may be more difficult than in adults. Thus, we evaluate the effects of metformin in comparison with metformin plus a polysaccharide complex (Policaptil Gel Retard^®, PGR) on body weight and metabolic parameters in obese children and adolescents with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Patients and methods: We retrospectively collected 129 children and adolescents (67 girls, 62 boys; median age 12.6 years) treated for a minimum of two years with metformin and low glycemic index (LGI) diet. Of these, 71 patients were treated with metformin plus PGR after at least 12 months of metformin alone. To minimize the confounding effect of the LGI on auxological and metabolic parameters, the patients were compared with age-, sex-, and BMI-matched control group with obesity and MetS (51 subjects; 24 males, 27 females) treated only with a LGI diet. Assessments included lipids, glucose and insulin (fasting and after oral glucose tolerance test) concentrations. The Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), Matsuda, insulinogenic and disposition indices were calculated. Results: Metformin treatment led to a significant reduction in BMI SDS (p < 0.0001), with a significant difference in ΔBMI SDS between patients and controls (p < 0.0001). Moreover, metformin treated patients showed a reduction in HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001), HbA1c levels (p < 0.0001) and a significant increase in Matsuda index (p < 0.0001) in respect to the reduction discovered in controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, in contrast to the group treated with metformin alone and controls, patients treated with metformin plus PGR showed a further reduction in BMI SDS (p < 0.0001), HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001), HbA1c (p < 0.0001), total, HDL and LDL cholesterol (p < 0.0001), as well as an increase in Matsuda (p < 0.0001), disposition (p < 0.005) and insulinogenic (respectively, p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001) indices. Conclusions: Metformin appears to show short-term efficacy in reducing BMI, adiposity and glucose and insulin parameters in obese children and adolescents with MetS. However, PGR added to metformin may be useful to potentiate weight loss and to improve glucose-insulin metabolism and adiposity parameters in these patients.

Drug interventions for the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Child and adolescent obesity has increased globally, and can be associated with significant short- and long-term health consequences.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of drug interventions for the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed (subsets not available on Ovid), LILACS as well as the trial registers ICTRP (WHO) and ClinicalTrials.gov. Searches were undertaken from inception to March 2016. We checked references and applied no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of pharmacological interventions for treating obesity (licensed and unlicensed for this indication) in children and adolescents (mean age under 18 years) with or without support of family members, with a minimum of three months' pharmacological intervention and six months' follow-up from baseline. We excluded interventions that specifically dealt with the treatment of eating disorders or type 2 diabetes, or included participants with a secondary or syndromic cause of obesity. In addition, we excluded trials which included growth hormone therapies and pregnant participants.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data following standard Cochrane methodology. Where necessary we contacted authors for additional information.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 21 trials and identified eight ongoing trials. The included trials evaluated metformin (11 trials), sibutramine (six trials), orlistat (four trials), and one trial arm investigated the combination of metformin and fluoxetine. The ongoing trials evaluated metformin (four trials), topiramate (two trials) and exenatide (two trials). A total of 2484 people participated in the included trials, 1478 participants were randomised to drug intervention and 904 to comparator groups (91 participants took part in two cross-over trials; 11 participants not specified). Eighteen trials used a placebo in the comparator group. Two trials had a cross-over design while the remaining 19 trials were parallel RCTs. The length of the intervention period ranged from 12 weeks to 48 weeks, and the length of follow-up from baseline ranged from six months to 100 weeks.Trials generally had a low risk of bias for random sequence generation, allocation concealment and blinding (participants, personnel and assessors) for subjective and objective outcomes. We judged approximately half of the trials as having a high risk of bias in one or more domain such as selective reporting.The primary outcomes of this review were change in body mass index (BMI), change in weight and adverse events. All 21 trials measured these outcomes. The secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life (only one trial reported results showing no marked differences; very low certainty evidence), body fat distribution (measured in 18 trials), behaviour change (measured in six trials), participants' views of the intervention (not reported), morbidity associated with the intervention (measured in one orlistat trial only reporting more new gallstones following the intervention; very low certainty evidence), all-cause mortality (one suicide in the orlistat intervention group; low certainty evidence) and socioeconomic effects (not reported).Intervention versus comparator for mean difference (MD) in BMI change was -1.3 kg/m2 (95% confidence interval (CI) -1.9 to -0.8; P < 0.00001; 16 trials; 1884 participants; low certainty evidence). When split by drug type, sibutramine, metformin and orlistat all showed reductions in BMI in favour of the intervention.Intervention versus comparator for change in weight showed a MD of -3.9 kg (95% CI -5.9 to -1.9; P < 0.00001; 11 trials; 1180 participants; low certainty evidence). As with BMI, when the trials were split by drug type, sibutramine, metformin and orlistat all showed reductions in weight in favour of the intervention.Five trials reported serious adverse events: 24/878 (2.7%) participants in the intervention groups versus 8/469 (1.7%) participants in the comparator groups (risk ratio (RR) 1.43, 95% CI 0.63 to 3.25; 1347 participants; low certainty evidence). A total 52/1043 (5.0%) participants in the intervention groups versus 17/621 (2.7%) in the comparator groups discontinued the trial because of adverse events (RR 1.45, 95% CI 0.83 to 2.52; 10 trials; 1664 participants; low certainty evidence). The most common adverse events in orlistat and metformin trials were gastrointestinal (such as diarrhoea, mild abdominal pain or discomfort, fatty stools). The most frequent adverse events in sibutramine trials included tachycardia, constipation and hypertension. The single fluoxetine trial reported dry mouth and loose stools. No trial investigated drug treatment for overweight children.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review is part of a series of associated Cochrane reviews on interventions for obese children and adolescents and has shown that pharmacological interventions (metformin, sibutramine, orlistat and fluoxetine) may have small effects in reduction in BMI and bodyweight in obese children and adolescents. However, many of these drugs are not licensed for the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents, or have been withdrawn. Trials were generally of low quality with many having a short or no post-intervention follow-up period and high dropout rates (overall dropout of 25%). Future research should focus on conducting trials with sufficient power and long-term follow-up, to ensure the long-term effects of any pharmacological intervention are comprehensively assessed. Adverse events should be reported in a more standardised manner specifying amongst other things the number of participants experiencing at least one adverse event. The requirement of regulatory authorities (US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency) for trials of all new medications to be used in children and adolescents should drive an increase in the number of high quality trials.

An Integrative Analysis of the Effect of Lifestyle and Pharmacological Interventions on Glucose Metabolism in the Prevention and Treatment of Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes

Preventing and managing youth-onset type 2 diabetes are a major challenge. This paper reviews the evidence of lifestyle and drug therapies in improving glucose, insulin, and insulin sensitivity. Forty-four interventions were analyzed, of which 11 were drug (mainly metformin) interventions combined with lifestyle while the remainder used lifestyle strategies only. Fewer than a dozen out of 44 interventions reported significant improvements in glucose-related outcomes. Metformin in addition to lifestyle therapy did not necessarily enhance intervention effects. The overall lack of findings can be partially attributed to the heterogeneity of study populations, the lack of intervention intensity, under-powered study design, and the challenging lives of at-risk populations. New treatment options in both drugs and lifestyle strategies are direly needed.