Dose distribution and up-titration patterns of metformin monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes

To assess the dose distribution among users of metformin monotherapy as well as the patterns of up-titration following initiation of therapy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

This was a retrospective cohort study of adults with T2DM in the United Kingdom (UK). Metformin dose distribution was assessed at 0, 6 and 12 months in people initiating metformin monotherapy (new users) and cross-sectionally in people with ongoing metformin monotherapy (prevalent users). Patterns and predictors of up-titration were also analysed in new users. Dose distributions and treatment patterns were assessed descriptively; predictors of up-titration were determined using multivariable logistic regressions.

Totals of 6174 new users and 8733 prevalent users were included. New users initiated metformin at >0 mg to ≤500 mg (25%), >500 mg to ≤1000 mg (47%), >1000 mg to ≤1500 mg (17%) or >1500 mg to ≤2000 mg (12%) daily. This distribution did not vary over time. Prevalent users of metformin received doses of >0 mg to ≤500 mg (14%), >500 mg to ≤1000 mg (40%), >1000 mg to ≤1500 mg (15%), >1500 mg to ≤2000 mg (29%) or >2000 mg (1%) daily. Among new users of metformin, 6.7% and 10.8% had been up-titrated at 6 and 12 months, respectively, despite the majority having glycated haemoglobin >53 mmol/mol. Predictors of up-titration included younger age and higher HbA1c.

A majority of T2DM patients taking metformin received a dose ≤1000 mg/day. Up-titration of metformin is infrequent in the first year postinitiation.