New research says that add-on proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a commonly used over-the-counter antacid, can improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes, but had no effect on reducing the risk of incident diabetes.

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of PPIs on glycemic control and risk of incident diabetes. Seven studies involving 342 participants were included to analyse the effect on blood glucose levels while 5 studies with 244, 439 participants were selected to assess the risk of incident diabetes.

Analysis of results from seven clinical trials showed that compared with standard therapy, add-on PPI reduced A1c levels by 0.36% in people with diabetes (WMD, −0.36 %; 95% CI, −0.68 to −0.05; P = 0.025) and also lowered fasting blood glucose by 10 mg/dL (WMD, −10.0 mg/dL; 95% CI, −19.4 to −0.6; P = 0.037).

On the other hand, results of the five studies showed that PPIs did not reduce the risk of developing diabetes in persons who did not have diabetes.

Based on these findings, the authors suggest that physicians should consider the effects of PPI on glycemic control when prescribing these antacids to patients with diabetes. At the same time, persons with diabetes should be aware that PPIs may improve their blood sugar control

The study is published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

(Source: Endocrine Society News, June 25, 2021)