Comparison of the Efficacy of Metformin and Lifestyle Modification for the Primary Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effectiveness of metformin versus lifestyle interventions in preventing diabetes in individuals with prediabetes. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and conducted a comprehensive search of databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE) up to September 1, 2023. Five eligible studies were included. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the risk of developing diabetes between the metformin and lifestyle intervention groups (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.77-1.68). Similarly, when comparing metformin with lifestyle intervention, the risk of diabetes was slightly higher in the metformin group, but this difference was not statistically significant (RR: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.93-1.86). When comparing metformin with lifestyle intervention to lifestyle intervention alone, no significant difference was observed in the incidence of diabetes (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.74-1.04). In conclusion, our analysis found that the incidence of type 2 diabetes was slightly higher in patients receiving metformin alone compared to lifestyle intervention, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Further trials are necessary to better evaluate these interventions for preventing type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals.