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Metformin Reduces the Incidence of Shoulder Stiffness After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
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Metformin Reduces the Incidence of Shoulder Stiffness After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair .

Metformin Reduces the Incidence of Shoulder Stiffness After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Am J Sports Med. 2025 01-Oct:. 10.1177/03635465251380296
Contributing Authors

J Feng K Huang D Wu B Li W Xu W Huang Z Zhu H Chen

This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 146 patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for full-thickness, nontraumatic small to large-sized rotator cuff tears. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either a placebo or 500 mg of metformin twice daily, for three months postoperatively. After loss to follow-up, 126 patients completed the study and were included in the final analysis (64 metformin, 62 control). The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative shoulder stiffness at 3 months; secondary outcomes included American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, pain (VAS), patient satisfaction, plasma fibrotic biomarkers, and rotator cuff tendon healing assessed by ultrasonography. Outcomes were assessed at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Overall, the results of the study revealed a significantly lower incidence of shoulder stiffness in the metformin group compared with placebo at all postoperative time points, without adverse effects on tendon healing or clinically meaningful differences in long-term functional outcomes.

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OrthoEvidence. Metformin Reduces the Incidence of Shoulder Stiffness After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair. ACE Report. 2026;318(1):21. Available from: https://myorthoevidence.com/AceReport/Show/metformin-reduces-the-incidence-of-shoulder-stiffness-after-arthroscopic-rotator-cuff-repair

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