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The Interaction Between Metformin and Microbiota - the MEMO Study.

The Interaction Between Metformin and Microbiota - the Reason for Gastrointestinal Side Effects?

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03718715
Acronym
MEMO
Enrollment
600
Registered
2018-10-24
Start date
2019-02-20
Completion date
2022-03-31
Last updated
2020-11-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Keywords

Metformin, Gastrointestinal side effects, Microbiota

Brief summary

Metformin has been used in Sweden since 1957, and it is recommended as first line therapy for type 2-diabetes (T2D) in national and international guidelines. However, adverse effects involving diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain are common which leads to discontinuation of medication or not being able to reach therapeutic doses. Here the investigators will perform a prospective study to investigate whether i) participants with T2D who experience adverse events following metformin treatment have an altered microbiota at baseline compared to participants without adverse events and ii) if the microbiota is altered in participants during onset of adverse events. The investigators hypothesis is that adverse effects associated with metformin are caused by an altered gut microbiota, either at base line or following metformin treatment. The study design is a nested case-cohort study. The investigators will recruit 600 patients and expect 200 individuals to have side effects and 400 without during a 24-month study period. Fecal samples will be collected at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months or when gastrointestinal symptoms occur. All fecal samples will be sequenced by 16s rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) sequencing to obtain a baseline microbiota profile; a subpopulation consisting of homogenous groups of participants will be in depth-analyzed using shotgun sequencing. If the hypothesis is confirmed this project may lead to bacterial therapies that will allow more patients tolerate metformin.

Interventions

DRUGMetformin

Receiving Metformin is no study intervention. The investigators have no influence on the Metformin treatment. All participants receive Metformin provided by the health care system. The individual case determine dose and frequency of the treatment as part of the usual therapy guidelines.

Sponsors

Göteborg University
CollaboratorOTHER
Örebro University, Sweden
CollaboratorOTHER
Linkoeping University
CollaboratorOTHER_GOV
Karolinska Institutet
CollaboratorOTHER
Umeå University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Type 2 diabetes (diagnosis set within the last 12 months) * planned metformin treatment * Age: 40 - 80 years * Have provided written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* already started treatment with Metformin * intestinal disease incl. irritable bowel syndrome * treatment with antibiotics in the last 3 months * Inflammatory disorder t.ex. rheumatoid arthritis * anemia, haemoglobinopathy * alcohol or drug abuse * cancer disease under treatment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
change from baseline in the fecal microbiota composition by detecting bacteria families with help of relative abundance (%) and diversity metrics4 monthsFaeces samples will be collected at baseline, after 2 months and after 4 months of Metformin treatment and analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing, whole genome shotgun sequencing and metagenomic analyses

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
number of patients with gastrointestinal side effects4 monthsA questionnaire will be answered at baseline, after 2 and 4 months and refers to a period of 2 weeks before study visit. Six different side effects will be monitored: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, meteorism, stomach ache.
rate of gastrointestinal side effects4 monthsChanges in the rate of side effects using questionnaire at baseline, after 2 and 4 months.The answer possibilities are: never, one or a few times, daily, multiple times a day.
time to first appearance of gastrointestinal side effects4 monthsHow many months till the onset of side effects during metformin treatment: depending on the time of assessment, 2 or 4 months
genetic correlation between Microbiota and gastrointestinal side effects4 monthsThe microbiota genome and the relation to the appearance of gastrointestinal side effects will be analysed.
time to first appearance of side effects which requires termination of the Metformin treatment4 monthsAnalysing length of metformin treatment and relation to appearance of side effects
correlation between microbiota and beneficial glucose lowering response4 monthsPlasma glucose will be analysed at baseline, after 2 and 4 months of Metformin treatment and correlated to the changes in the composition of microbiota.
time to first appearance of side effects which requires dose changes in the Metformin treatment4 monthsAnalysing changes in metformin treatment and relation to appearance of side effects

Countries

Sweden

Contacts

Primary ContactOlov Rolandsson, Professor
olov.rolandsson@umu.se+46 90 786 50 00

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026