Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic* | Metformin group (n=34) | Placebo group (n=18) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, year | 69±10 | 65±8 | 0.258 |
| Sex, M/F | 21/13 | 11/7 | 0.963 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 26.0±5.9 | 25.6±6.1 | 0.834 |
| Past medical history, n (%) | |||
| Myocardial infarction | 6 (18%) | 1 (6%) | 0.399 |
| Heart failure | 3 (9%) | 1 (6%) | >0.99 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 4 (12%) | 2 (11%) | >0.99 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 3 (9%) | 0 (0%) | 0.543 |
| Charlson comorbidity index | 0.5 (0–1) | 0.0 (0–1) | 0.424 |
| Smoking history, pack-years | 54±52 | 54±21 | 0.961 |
| Pulse, bpm | 93±13 | 92±12 | 0.769 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 133±21 | 137±23 | 0.544 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 75±10 | 80±13 | 0.133 |
| Respiratory rate, breaths/min | 19±2 | 19±3 | 0.705 |
| Arterial blood gases | |||
| pH | 7.42±0.05 | 7.41±0.05 | 0.854 |
| pCO2, kPa | 5.5±1.2 | 5.6±1.1 | 0.649 |
| pO2, kPa | 9.2±2.5 | 9.4±2.2 | 0.824 |
| Biochemistry | |||
| Urea, mmol/L | 5.7±1.7 | 5.4±2.3 | 0.693 |
| Creatinine, μmol/L | 73±17 | 72±23 | 0.861 |
| Haemoglobin A1c, mmol/mol | 42 (40–44) | 42 (39–44) | 0.821 |
| C reactive protein, mg/L | 14 (5–77) | 17 (5–59) | 0.840 |
| Radiographic consolidation, n (%) | 7 (21%) | 3 (17%) | 0.827 |
*Continuous data are presented as mean±SD or median (IQR), as applicable.