The following is a summary of “Differences in weight loss and safety between the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: A non-randomized multicenter study from the titration phase,” published in the August 2023 issue of Primary Care by Seijas-Amigo et al. 

For a study, researchers aimed to investigate the efficacy, safety, and adherence during the titration phase of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1 RA), known for inducing clinical weight loss. They focused on GLP1 RA-naïve patients in a multicenter, prospective, observational study. The primary endpoints were weight loss (≥5%), BMI changes, and HbA1c variations. Secondary outcomes included safety, adherence, and tolerance.

Of the 94 subjects, 42.4% received dulaglutide, 29.3% subcutaneous semaglutide, and 22.8% oral semaglutide, with baseline characteristics revealing a mean age of 62, body weight of 99.3 kg, BMI of 36.7 kg/m2, and HbA1c of 8.2%. Oral semaglutide demonstrated the most significant reduction, with 61.1% achieving ≥5% weight loss, compared to subcutaneous semaglutide (45.8%) and dulaglutide (40.6%). GLP1 RA collectively reduced body weight (−4.95 kg, p < 0.001) and BMI (−1.86 kg/m2, p < 0.001), without significant inter-group differences. 

Gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequently reported events (74.5%), notably higher in the dulaglutide group (62%). The findings suggest that oral semaglutide could be a viable alternative in case of future shortages. GLP1 RA emerged as an effective strategy for weight loss and glycemic control, underlining the importance of individualized treatment approaches.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751991823000955