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Effect of Metformin on the Risk of Post-coronavirus Disease 2019 Condition Among Individuals With Overweight or Obese: A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study

Chaichana et al., Clinical Infectious Diseases, doi:10.1093/cid/ciaf429, Sep 2025
https://c19early.org/chaichana.html
PASC 62% Improvement Relative Risk Metformin  Chaichana et al.  LATE TREATMENT Is late treatment with metformin beneficial for COVID-19? Retrospective 624,308 patients in the United Kingdom (Mar 2020 - Jul 2023) Lower PASC with metformin (p<0.000001) c19early.org Chaichana et al., Clinical Infectious .., Sep 2025 Favorsmetformin Favorscontrol 0 0.5 1 1.5 2+
Metformin for COVID-19
3rd treatment shown to reduce risk in July 2020, now with p < 0.00000000001 from 107 studies.
No treatment is 100% effective. Protocols combine treatments.
6,100+ studies for 180 treatments. c19early.org
Retrospective 624,308 overweight or obese patients showing reduced risk of post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) with metformin initiation within 90 days of COVID-19 diagnosis.
Standard of Care (SOC) for COVID-19 in the study country, the United Kingdom, is very poor with very low average efficacy for approved treatments1. The United Kingdom focused on expensive high-profit treatments, approving only one low-cost early treatment, which required a prescription and had limited adoption. The high-cost prescription treatment strategy reduces the probability of early treatment due to access and cost barriers, and eliminates complementary and synergistic benefits seen with many low-cost treatments.
risk of PASC, 62.0% lower, HR 0.38, p < 0.001, Cox proportional hazards.
Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
Chaichana et al., 1 Sep 2025, retrospective, United Kingdom, peer-reviewed, mean age 49.6, 5 authors, study period March 2020 - July 2023. Contact: l.wei@ucl.ac.uk.
Effect of Metformin on the Risk of Post-coronavirus Disease 2019 Condition Among Individuals With Overweight or Obese: A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study
Ubonphan Chaichana, Kenneth K C Man, Chengsheng Ju, Janine Makaronidis, Li Wei
doi:10.1093/cid/ciaf429/8244943
Background. A subgroup analysis of the COVID-OUT trial's long-term outcome found that starting metformin within 3 days of coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosis reduced post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) incidence by 63% in overweight or obese individuals. However, its generalizability remains uncertain. Objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of metformin in preventing PCC in adults with overweight or obesity who had a recent COVID-19 infection. Design. A retrospective cohort study using a sequential target trial emulation framework. Data Sources. The United Kingdom primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database from March 2020 to July 2023. Participants. Adults with overweight or obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m²) and a record of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were included. Exclusions included metformin use in the prior year or metformin contraindications. Measurements. The outcome was PCC, defined by a PCC diagnostic code or at least 1 World Health Organization-listed symptoms between 90 and 365 days after diagnosis, with no prior history of the symptom within 180 days before infection. The pooled hazard ratio and risk difference for the incidence of PCC were adjust for baseline characteristics. Results. Among 624 308 patients, 2976 initiated metformin within 90 days of COVID-19 diagnosis. The 1-year risk difference for PCC in the intention-to-treat analysis was -12.58% (hazard ratio 0.36; 95% CI, 0.32-0.41), with consistent results in subgroup analyses. Limitations. Findings may not apply to individuals with a normal body mass index. Conclusions. Early metformin treatment in overweight or obese individuals may reduce PCC risk. Further research is needed to confirm causality and clarify metformin's role in PCC management.
Supplementary Data Supplementary materials are available at Clinical Infectious Diseases online. Consisting of data provided by the authors to benefit the reader, the posted materials are not copyedited and are the sole responsibility of the authors, so questions or comments should be addressed to the corresponding author. Author Contributions. U. C. conceived the study and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. U. C. and C. J. carried out the statistical analysis, interpreted the data, and reviewed and edited the manuscript. L. W. and K. M. were involved in study concept, supervised the study, reviewed and edited the manuscript, and are the guarantors. J. M. reviewed and provided critical feedback on clinician's viewpoint. The all authors approved the final version for submission and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of this work. The corresponding author attests that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no others meeting the criteria have been omitted. Data sharing. This study is based on data from the CPRD, obtained under license from the UK MHRA. The data are not publicly available and can only be accessed by approved researchers who have obtained the necessary permissions from CPRD. Access to CPRD data requires a protocol submission and approval by the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC). The authors do not have permission to share the data.
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DOI record: { "DOI": "10.1093/cid/ciaf429", "ISSN": [ "1058-4838", "1537-6591" ], "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaf429", "abstract": "<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Background</jats:title>\n <jats:p>A subgroup analysis of the COVID-OUT trial's long-term outcome found that starting metformin within 3 days of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis reduced post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) incidence by 63% in overweight or obese individuals. However, its generalizability remains uncertain.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Objectives</jats:title>\n <jats:p>To evaluate the effectiveness of metformin in preventing PCC in adults with overweight or obesity who had a recent COVID-19 infection.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Design</jats:title>\n <jats:p>A retrospective cohort study using a sequential target trial emulation framework.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Data Sources</jats:title>\n <jats:p>The United Kingdom primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database from March 2020 to July 2023.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Participants</jats:title>\n <jats:p>Adults with overweight or obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m²) and a record of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were included. Exclusions included metformin use in the prior year or metformin contraindications.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Measurements</jats:title>\n <jats:p>The outcome was PCC, defined by a PCC diagnostic code or at least 1 World Health Organization–listed symptoms between 90 and 365 days after diagnosis, with no prior history of the symptom within 180 days before infection. The pooled hazard ratio and risk difference for the incidence of PCC were adjust for baseline characteristics.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Results</jats:title>\n <jats:p>Among 624 308 patients, 2976 initiated metformin within 90 days of COVID-19 diagnosis. The 1-year risk difference for PCC in the intention-to-treat analysis was −12.58% (hazard ratio 0.36; 95% CI, 0.32–0.41), with consistent results in subgroup analyses.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Limitations</jats:title>\n <jats:p>Findings may not apply to individuals with a normal body mass index.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>\n <jats:sec>\n <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title>\n <jats:p>Early metformin treatment in overweight or obese individuals may reduce PCC risk. Further research is needed to confirm causality and clarify metformin's role in PCC management.</jats:p>\n </jats:sec>", "article-number": "ciaf429", "author": [ { "ORCID": "https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1870-7392", "affiliation": [ { "name": "Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] } ], "authenticated-orcid": false, "family": "Chaichana", "given": "Ubonphan", "sequence": "first" }, { "ORCID": "https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8645-1942", "affiliation": [ { "name": "Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] }, { "name": "Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H) , Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ,", "place": [ "China" ] }, { "name": "Centre for Medicines Optimisation Research and Education, University College London Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] }, { "name": "Centre for Safe 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University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] }, { "name": "Department of Diabetes and Metabolism, Royal London Hospital , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] } ], "authenticated-orcid": false, "family": "Makaronidis", "given": "Janine", "sequence": "additional" }, { "ORCID": "https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8840-7267", "affiliation": [ { "name": "Research Department of Practice and Policy, UCL School of Pharmacy , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] }, { "name": "Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H) , Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ,", "place": [ "China" ] }, { "name": "Centre for Medicines Optimisation Research and Education, University College London Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust , London ,", "place": [ "United Kingdom" ] } ], "authenticated-orcid": false, "family": "Wei", "given": "Li", "sequence": "additional" } ], "container-title": "Clinical Infectious Diseases", 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Late treatment
is less effective
Please send us corrections, updates, or comments. c19early involves the extraction of 200,000+ datapoints from thousands of papers. Community updates help ensure high accuracy. Treatments and other interventions are complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means should be used based on risk/benefit analysis. No treatment or intervention is 100% available and effective for all current and future variants. We do not provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and benefits based on your medical history and situation. IMA and WCH provide treatment protocols.
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