Comparative effectiveness of metformin versus sulfonylureas on kidney function decline or death among patients with reduced kidney function: a retrospective cohort study

Note: ASA = acetylsalicylic acid, BMI = body mass index, eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate, IQR = interquartile range, SMD = standardized mean difference.

↵* Unless indicated otherwise.

↵† Standardized mean differences are the absolute difference in means or percentage divided by an evenly weighted pooled standard deviation, or the difference between groups in number of standard deviations. In the weighted cohort, all standardized differences were less than 0.01, suggesting there were no important imbalances.

↵‡ Other races include American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

↵§ Historical eGFR is the eGFR before the patient met the inclusion criteria of eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²; eGFR at kidney threshold indicates the eGFR when the patient met the inclusion criteria of eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m².

↵¶ Malignant disease includes all types of cancer except nonmelanoma skin cancer.

↵** Serious mental illness included schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, dementia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

↵†† The Veterans Health Administration provides health care coverage for those who serve their country through military services. Medicare and Medicaid health services are federal health care programs for eligible people older than 65 years. Medicare Advantage is a Medicare plan offered by private insurers that provides hospital, outpatient and (usually) prescription drug coverage, supplanting benefits under other Medicare plans.