The Influence of Metformin Treatment on Liver Function of Diabetic Patients Attending Jordanian Royal Medical City

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Introduction: Liver is a vital organ and mediates many cellular processes. Liver may be injured in diabetes. Metformin treatment shows a high potential to lower the risk of liver injury or to ameliorate its damage. Study objective:To explore the potential of metformin treatment in reducing the level of liver injury. Methods and subjects:The present study employed the retrospective study design to review the files of diabetic patients. Study variables includedgender, age, duration of diabetes, metformin treatment, and liver function tests. Datawere analyzed using SPSS version 21. The relationship between variables was examined using Chi-square test, and T test. Significance was considered if p< 0.05. Study results:The study included 62 diabetic patients. The mean age of study participants was 62.95± 11.98 years, a total of 33 (53.22%) of study participants were males, duration of diabetes was 7.51±5.86 years, metformin was used as a diabetic therapeutic option by 41 (66.13%), the mean dose of metformin was 1617.32±694.49 mg, the mean level of AST was 16.01±7.79 (U/L), the mean level of ALT was 18.500±8.89 (U/L), and the mean level of bilirubin was 0.38±0.18 (mg/dl). A significant relationship was found between metformin dose and each of liver enzymes (p=0.000). When the mean levels of liver enzymes were compared between metformin group and without metformin group, no significant differences were observed. Conclusion:Liver injury in diabetes is a long term process and the use of metformin can offer protection against liver injury through keeping liver enzymes within normal limits.