Metformin in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a hidden path - from altered inflammation to reduced mortality (a review from the literature)

• Author(s): Pedrosa, Ana Realista ; Martins, Diana Cruz ; Rizzo, Manfredi ; Silva-Nunes, José
• Date: 2023
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/15582
• Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
• Subject(s): COVID-19; Diabetes; Metformin; Mortality; SARS-CoV-2; Severity
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): RCIPL

Description

SARS-CoV-2 infection has been a major threat to human health and a huge challenge to Medicine. In only two years, COVID-19 affected >350 million people, causing >5.6 million deaths. Chronic inflammatory states, such as diabetes or obesity, are known risk factors for COVID-19 poorest outcomes, with a higher risk for disease severity and greater mortality. Metformin remains on the first line of the management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. Through its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory mechanisms, metformin appears as an opportunity to control the dysregulated cytokine storm secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Recent studies point towards a potential protective role of metformin in the course of COVID-19, showing that current or previous treatment with metformin associates with better outcomes.