TABLE 3.
Hepatocellular carcinoma risk in metformin users
| No. of studies | Sample size | HR | 95% confidence interval | p value | I2 (%) | p value for Cochran Q test of heterogeneity | Subgroup difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metformin | ||||||||
| Overall | 3 | 125,458 | 0.57 | 0.31–1.06 | 0.03 | 95.90 | <0.01 | |
| Confirmation of HCC diagnosis | ||||||||
| ICD codes | 3 | 125,458 | 0.57 | 0.31–1.06 | 0.08 | 95.90 | <0.01 | |
| Accounted for use of statins, aspirin and NSAIDs | ||||||||
| Yes | 2 | 101,611 | 0.97 | 0.60–1.58 | 0.91 | 95.70 | <0.01 | |
| Mean follow-up duration | ||||||||
| <60 months | 2 | 67,647 | 0.23 | 0.02–2.71 | 0.24 | 96.00 | <0.01 | |
| ≥60 months | 1 | - | ||||||
Abbreviations: HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; LT, liver transplantation; ICD, International Classification of Diseases; HR, hazard ratio; I2, level of heterogeneity.