Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research
Does metformin exposure before ICU stay have any impact on patients’ outcome? A retrospective cohort study of diabetic patients
Published in: Annals of Intensive Care | Issue 1/2017
Login to get accessAbstract
Background
Impact of metformin exposure before ICU stay remains controversial. Metformin is thought to induce lactic acidosis and haemodynamic instability but may reduce ICU mortality. We evaluated its influence on outcome in diabetic patients admitted in the ICU and then compared two different populations based on the presence of septic shock.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a 24-bed French ICU between October 2010 and December 2013, including all ICU-admitted diabetic patients.
Results
Among 635 diabetic patients admitted during the study period, 131 (21%) were admitted with septic shock. Multivariate analysis showed no difference in hospital mortality in all metformin users (OR 0.75 [95% CI 0.44–1.28]; p = 0.29), except in the septic shock subgroup (OR 0.61; 95% CI [0.37–0.99]; p = 0.04) despite higher vasopressor dosages in the first hours after shock onset. Blood lactate level was higher in metformin users than in non-metformin users in all patients (p < 0.001), in septic shock patients (p < 0.001) and in patients without kidney injury (p < 0.001). Metformin users did not have more septic shock from unknown aetiology (p = 0.65) or unknown pathogen (p = 0.99).
Conclusions
Metformin use before admission to ICU did not affect in-hospital mortality. However, for patients with septic shock, mortality was lower, despite worse clinical presentation on admission. Blood lactate levels were always higher with or without septic shock and indifferent of kidney function.