Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23724063›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2013

Metformin vs insulin in the management of gestational diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Juan Gui, Qing Liu, Ling Feng

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It reports registered trial NCT01998113. Cited by 77 papers, 13 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
77citing papers in PubMed, 13 pooled it
20.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT01998113 completed

Glyburide and Metformin for the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Comparing These Drugs Either vs Insulin or vs Each Other.

Ran2013Enrolled2,509Registered outcomes30Posted comparisons0ConditionsGestational Diabetes MellitusArmsGlyburide vs Insulin trials, Metformin vs Glyburide trials, Metformin vs Insulin trials
PMID 11036118PMID 18463376PMID 19104375PMID 20739011PMID 22505499other papers from this trial
Open the trial in the graph
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

77 citing papers in PubMed, 13 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 220 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Evaluation of Preeclampsia Results after Use of Metformin in Gestation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetricia : revista da Federacao Brasileira das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetricia · 2018
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  16. Implementation of a Gestational Diabetes Virtual Care Clinic: A Before-After Comparative Study.Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders · 2026
    Article
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17 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Juan GuiDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Qing Liu
Ling Feng
Huazhong University of Science and Technology · CNTongji Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNowadays, there have been increasing studies comparing metformin with insulin. But the use of metformin in pregnant women is still controversial, therefore, we aim to examine the efficiency and safety of metformin by conducting a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of metformin with insulin on glycemic control, maternal and neonatal outcomes in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

methodsWe used the key words "gestational diabetes" in combination with "metformin" and searched the databases including Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, Web of knowledge, and Clinical Trial Registries. A random-effects model was used to compute the summary risk estimates.

resultsMeta-analysis of 5 RCTs involving 1270 participants detected that average weight gains after enrollment were much lower in the metformin group (n = 1006, P = 0.003, SMD = -0.47, 95%CI [-0.77 to -0.16]); average gestational ages at delivery were significantly lower in the metformin group (n = 1270, P = 0.02, SMD = -0.14, 95%CI [-0.25 to -0.03]); incidence of preterm birth was significantly more in metformin group (n = 1110, P = 0.01, OR = 1.74, 95%CI [1.13 to 2.68]); the incidence of pregnancy induced hypertension was significantly less in the metformin group (n = 1110, P = 0.02, OR = 0.52, 95%CI [0.30 to 0.90]). The fasting blood sugar levels of OGTT were significantly lower in the metformin only group than in the supplemental insulin group (n = 478, P = 0.0006, SMD = -0.83, 95%CI [-1.31 to -0.36]).

conclusionsMetformin is comparable with insulin in glycemic control and neonatal outcomes. It might be more suitable for women with mild GDM. This meta-analysis also provides some significant benefits and risks of the use of metformin in GDM and help to inform further development of management guidelines.

Indexed as

Birth WeightDiabetes, GestationalFemaleHumansHypoglycemic AgentsInfant, NewbornInsulinMetforminPregnancyPregnancy OutcomeTreatment OutcomeHypoglycemic AgentsInsulinMetformin

Identifiers

PMID23724063
PMCPMC3664585
OpenAlexW2109810300

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.