Metformin Does Not Significantly Change Immune Reconstitution Among Patients With HIV And Comorbid T2D, Study Finds

Infectious Disease Advisor (5/12, Nye) reports a study found that “metformin use does not significantly affect immune reconstitution among patients with HIV infection and comorbid type 2 diabetes.” Researchers observed that “in the 1.5 to 3.5 years after metformin initiation, 60% and 81% of patients with comorbid type 2 diabetes experienced increased CD4+ T-cell counts and increased CD4/CD8 ratio, respectively. The overall rate of patients in the control cohort who exhibited increased levels of these measurements over the same period was higher for CD4+ count (67%) but lower for CD4/CD8 ratio (77%).” In addition, further analysis “showed no significant trends among individuals with low CD4+ count and CD4/CD8 ratio at baseline.” Researchers concluded, “This study represents the longest follow-up on CD4 T cell count and CD4/CD8 ratio in PLWH [people living with HIV] treated with metformin.” The study was published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.