Metformin tied to lower risk of COVID-19 death in women

▴ Metformin tied to lower risk of COVID-19 death in women
A new breakthrough for treatment of Coronavirus in women

Women taking the widely used oral diabetes medication metformin may be at lower risk for fatal COVID-19, according to a study posted on Saturday that has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Among more than 6,200 adults with diabetes or obesity and commercial insurance who were hospitalized with COVID-19, there were fewer deaths among women who had filled their 90-day metformin prescriptions than among those not taking the medicine. After adjusting for other risk factors, they were roughly 21% to 24% less likely to die of the disease. The link was not seen in men.

"We know that metformin has different effects between men and women. In the diabetes prevention trial, metformin reduced CRP (the inflammation marker C-reactive protein) twice as much in women as men," study coauthor Carolyn Bramante of the University of Minnesota told Reuters.

Metformin also decreases levels of TNF-alpha, an inflammation protein that appears to make COVID-19 worse, she said. Studies have suggested metformin may bring down TNF-alpha levels to a greater extent in women than in men, she added. "The fact that we saw the benefit in women only, and the fact that metformin lowers TNF-alpha in female mice, might suggest that the TNF-alpha effects of metformin are why it helps in COVID-19," Bramante said. Formal clinical trials are needed to confirm the theories raised by this observational study. Metformin is a safe, cheap and widely available medicine, making it "a very realistic treatment" if proven in larger trials, she added. (bit.ly/317D2yi)

Meanwhile in an important breakthrough, reserchers found, important set of immune cells are failing to respond properly to the novel coronavirus, providing a possible explanation for why some patients appear mildly ill at first and suddenly deteriorate. The dendritic cells are supposed to alert the immune system to the presence of virus or bacteria, so that other immune cells, called macrophages, can attack and "kill" the invaders. While infected macrophages respond properly to the virus, infected dendritic cells fail to send out their usual alarms in the form of proteins called interferons, researchers reported on Sunday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Furthermore, in dendritic cells the virus inhibits a crucial protein called STAT1, which activates interferons and other important substances, they report. Coauthors Kwok-Yung Yuen and Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan of the University of Hong Kong told Reuters in a joint email that these dendritic cell dysfunctions may contribute to symptoms in some patients.

Story Source; Reuters

Tags : #Metformin #Reuters #Macrophage #DendriticCells #Antibody #UniversityofHongKong

About the Author


Team Medicircle

Related Stories

Loading Please wait...

-Advertisements-




Trending Now

Scientists in Moscow Develop Fetal Phantom for Obstetric UltrasoundNovember 19, 2024
International Men’s Day: A Celebration of Strength, Vulnerability, and ChangeNovember 19, 2024
The Bloody Truth: Why Menstruation Is Still a Taboo in Indian SchoolsNovember 19, 2024
Toxic Air, Fragile Hearts: The Hidden Cost of Pollution on Heart Failure PatientsNovember 19, 2024
Government of Telangana Hosts the AI in Healthcare Summit – Road to BioAsia 2025November 18, 2024
In yet another groundbreaking medical milestone, Sarvodaya Hospital successfully performs India’s youngest cochlear implant on a 5- month old babyNovember 18, 2024
Sightsavers India in collaboration with AbbVie Therapeutics India Private Limited Hosted the 4th State-Level Consultation on ‘Prevention of Visual Impairment Caused by Glaucoma’November 16, 2024
Is Your Saree Hurting You? How Tight Waist Petticoats Could Trigger Skin CancerNovember 16, 2024
10 New-born Lives Lost: The Jhansi Hospital Fire That Shook India’s ConscienceNovember 16, 2024
Streax introduces revolutionary Shampoo Hair Colour in South India at accessible price point.November 15, 2024
The Silent Killer in Your Genes: Can Splicing Errors Unlock New Cancer Cures?November 15, 2024
Stress on a Schedule: What Your Gut Bacteria Know That You Don’tNovember 15, 2024
A Preventable Catastrophe: Why Are Children Still Dying from Measles?November 15, 2024
The University of Tasmania invites applications for Master of Marine and Antarctic ScienceNovember 14, 2024
ICMR’s Bold Bet: Can India’s Scientists Deliver World-First Health Breakthroughs?November 14, 2024
The Dark Reality Behind India’s Ayushman Bharat: Profits Before Patients?November 14, 2024
Not a Fan of Exercise? Here’s How Few Steps You Actually Need for Better HealthNovember 14, 2024
Shiprocket launches AI Powered Shiprocket Copilot to empower a Self-Reliant Digital Future for over 1,00,000+ Indian MSMEsNovember 13, 2024
AIIMS Darbhanga and More: Can PM Modi’s 12,000 Crore Investment Turn Bihar into India’s Next Growth Engine?November 13, 2024
Self-Made Survivor: How a Virologist Battled Breast Cancer with Her Own Lab-Grown VirusesNovember 13, 2024