Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol

Abstract Background Gestational diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in pregnancy, with an incidence of 5 to 18% in Brazil, and is associated with high morbidity rates. The first-line treatment is insulin, although some recent studies have indicated that metformin might also be effective....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carolina Freitas Alves Amaral-Moreira, Daiane Sofia Morais Paulino, Belmiro G. Pereira, Patricia Moretti Rehder, Fernanda G. Surita
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:Trials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-025-08752-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823861624865292288
author Carolina Freitas Alves Amaral-Moreira
Daiane Sofia Morais Paulino
Belmiro G. Pereira
Patricia Moretti Rehder
Fernanda G. Surita
author_facet Carolina Freitas Alves Amaral-Moreira
Daiane Sofia Morais Paulino
Belmiro G. Pereira
Patricia Moretti Rehder
Fernanda G. Surita
author_sort Carolina Freitas Alves Amaral-Moreira
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Gestational diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in pregnancy, with an incidence of 5 to 18% in Brazil, and is associated with high morbidity rates. The first-line treatment is insulin, although some recent studies have indicated that metformin might also be effective. Metformin is safe in pregnancy and appears to produce better results than insulin, including reduced gestational weight gain (GWG) and smaller gestational-age newborns. Few studies have been conducted on this topic in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We designed an open randomized controlled trial comparing two treatments for pregnant women with type II diabetes mellitus (DM) and gestational diabetes (DMG): the metformin group (intervention) and the insulin group (as a routine service). The primary outcome is glycemic control. The secondary outcomes are GWG, the occurrence of hypertensive syndromes, macrosomia, and neonatal hypoglycemia. The sample will comprise 92 pregnant women, 46 per group. The inclusion criteria will be GDM or type II DM requiring medication for glycemic control, singleton pregnancy, and gestational age under 34 weeks. The exclusion criteria will be current treatment with any medication for glycemic control, type I DM, and intolerance to the study medications (metformin or insulin). Women will be routinely followed during antenatal care, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Statistical analyses will include the intention-to-treat approach and a comparison between the two groups. Discussion Considering the Brazilian socioeconomic reality and the safety of metformin demonstrated in previous trials, we expect that the MevIP study will demonstrate that metformin is an adequate and appropriate medication for GDM treatment in the Brazilian population, representing an alternative to insulin for GDM. Trial registration This protocol has been registered prospectively in ReBEC under the ID RBR-3j3cktx in August 11, 2023.
format Article
id doaj-art-29f6cb1da333486eaf00d39f346cd5d2
institution Kabale University
issn 1745-6215
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Trials
spelling doaj-art-29f6cb1da333486eaf00d39f346cd5d22025-02-09T12:53:17ZengBMCTrials1745-62152025-02-012611910.1186/s13063-025-08752-7Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocolCarolina Freitas Alves Amaral-Moreira0Daiane Sofia Morais Paulino1Belmiro G. Pereira2Patricia Moretti Rehder3Fernanda G. Surita4Department of Obstertrics & Gynecology, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de CampinasDepartment of Obstertrics & Gynecology, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de CampinasDepartment of Obstertrics & Gynecology, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de CampinasDepartment of Obstertrics & Gynecology, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de CampinasDepartment of Obstertrics & Gynecology, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de CampinasAbstract Background Gestational diabetes is one of the most prevalent diseases in pregnancy, with an incidence of 5 to 18% in Brazil, and is associated with high morbidity rates. The first-line treatment is insulin, although some recent studies have indicated that metformin might also be effective. Metformin is safe in pregnancy and appears to produce better results than insulin, including reduced gestational weight gain (GWG) and smaller gestational-age newborns. Few studies have been conducted on this topic in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We designed an open randomized controlled trial comparing two treatments for pregnant women with type II diabetes mellitus (DM) and gestational diabetes (DMG): the metformin group (intervention) and the insulin group (as a routine service). The primary outcome is glycemic control. The secondary outcomes are GWG, the occurrence of hypertensive syndromes, macrosomia, and neonatal hypoglycemia. The sample will comprise 92 pregnant women, 46 per group. The inclusion criteria will be GDM or type II DM requiring medication for glycemic control, singleton pregnancy, and gestational age under 34 weeks. The exclusion criteria will be current treatment with any medication for glycemic control, type I DM, and intolerance to the study medications (metformin or insulin). Women will be routinely followed during antenatal care, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Statistical analyses will include the intention-to-treat approach and a comparison between the two groups. Discussion Considering the Brazilian socioeconomic reality and the safety of metformin demonstrated in previous trials, we expect that the MevIP study will demonstrate that metformin is an adequate and appropriate medication for GDM treatment in the Brazilian population, representing an alternative to insulin for GDM. Trial registration This protocol has been registered prospectively in ReBEC under the ID RBR-3j3cktx in August 11, 2023.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-025-08752-7Gestational diabetesMetforminPregnancyDiabetes
spellingShingle Carolina Freitas Alves Amaral-Moreira
Daiane Sofia Morais Paulino
Belmiro G. Pereira
Patricia Moretti Rehder
Fernanda G. Surita
Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol
Trials
Gestational diabetes
Metformin
Pregnancy
Diabetes
title Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol
title_full Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol
title_fullStr Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol
title_full_unstemmed Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol
title_short Metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy (MevIP): a randomized clinical trial protocol
title_sort metformin versus insulin in glycemic control in pregnancy mevip a randomized clinical trial protocol
topic Gestational diabetes
Metformin
Pregnancy
Diabetes
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-025-08752-7
work_keys_str_mv AT carolinafreitasalvesamaralmoreira metforminversusinsulininglycemiccontrolinpregnancymeviparandomizedclinicaltrialprotocol
AT daianesofiamoraispaulino metforminversusinsulininglycemiccontrolinpregnancymeviparandomizedclinicaltrialprotocol
AT belmirogpereira metforminversusinsulininglycemiccontrolinpregnancymeviparandomizedclinicaltrialprotocol
AT patriciamorettirehder metforminversusinsulininglycemiccontrolinpregnancymeviparandomizedclinicaltrialprotocol
AT fernandagsurita metforminversusinsulininglycemiccontrolinpregnancymeviparandomizedclinicaltrialprotocol