Long-term efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in the development of type 2 diabetes in south american patients

Jorge Hernandez; Luis Dulcey; Valentina Ochoa; Valentina Navas; Pinzon Harold Torres; Juan Theran; Jaime Gomez

doi:10.1530/endoabs.109.EP25

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Endocrine Abstracts (2025) 109 EP25 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.109.EP25

SFEBES2025 ePoster Presentations Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes (14 abstracts)

Long-term efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in the development of type 2 diabetes in south american patients

Jorge Hernández ¹ , Luis Dulcey ² , Valentina Ochoa ¹ , Valentina Navas ¹ , Harold Torres Pinzon ¹ , Juan Theran ¹ & Jaime Gomez ³

Author affiliations

¹University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia; ²University of Andes, Mérida, Venezuela; ³Autonomous University of Bucaramanga, Bucaramanga, Colombia

Introduction: The underdiagnosis of early carbohydrate metabolism disorders, such as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG), delays type 2 diabetes (T2DM) diagnosis and reduces the effectiveness of oral antidiabetics. Early pharmacological intervention in individuals with IGT/IFG can delay the onset of T2DM and, in some cases, prevent it.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of metformin in reducing the conversion rate of IGT/IFG to T2DM in South American patients.

Materials and Methods: A non-randomized, prospective observational study included patients newly diagnosed with IGT/IFG. Metformin was prescribed for 5 to 10 years, and the conversion to T2DM was assessed after 10 years of follow-up.

Results: Among the 1000 patients evaluated, 500 received metformin and 500 did not. The sample included 786 men and 214 women, aged 40 to 80 years, with no significant differences in age or gender between groups. Many patients discontinued treatment after the observation period.


Group	Patients (n)	Conversion to T2DM (%)
Metformin (Treated)	500	2%
No Treatment (Untreated)	500	49%
After 10 years, the conversion rate to T2DM was significantly lower in the metformin group (2%) compared to the non-treated group (49%) (P < 0.001).

Discussion: The long-term use of metformin significantly reduced the risk of T2DM in patients with IGT/IFG, demonstrating the value of early pharmacological intervention. These findings highlight the importance of sustained treatment to prevent diabetes progression.

Conclusion: Prolonged metformin use provides effective secondary prevention of T2DM in high-risk patients. Tools like FINDRISK are recommended to identify at-risk individuals and guide preventive efforts.