The role of oral metformin in preventing and treating age-related macular degeneration: A meta-analysis.

Background: We aimed to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of metformin on age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: We searched the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. We included any randomized control trials, prospective and retrospective cohorts, cross-sectional studies, and case-control studies that investigated the effect of metformin on age-related macular degeneration in our meta-analysis with no age or language restrictions. Review manager software, version 5.4 was used to perform the meta-analysis.

Results: Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis with 1,447,470 patients included in the analysis. The pooled analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the metformin group and the non-metformin group regarding age-related macular degeneration (odds ratio [OR] = 0.37, confidence interval [CI] = (0.14-1.02), P = .05). Subgroup analysis showed no statistically significant difference between metformin group and non-metformin group regarding age-related macular degeneration in present or past metformin usage (OR = 0.19, CI = (0.03-1.1), P = .06), (OR = 0.61, CI = (0.25-1.45), P = .26), respectively, The pooled analysis showed no statistically significant difference between age-related macular degeneration group and control group regarding metformin usage (OR = 0.86, CI = (0.74-1.00), P = .05). The subgroup analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the age-related macular degeneration group and control group in <2 years of metformin usage and 2 years or more (OR = 0.89, CI = (0.52-1.52), P = .67), (OR = 0.95, CI = (0.82-1.10), P = .47), respectively.

Conclusion: Our study revealed no role of metformin in decreasing age-related macular degeneration risk in past or present usage. More RCTs are needed to support our findings in evaluating the actual role of metformin in age-related macular degeneration.