Differences in weight loss and safety between the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: A non-randomized multicenter study from the titration phase

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Weight loss (?5 %) reduces the risk of CVD. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1 RA) have shown clinically weight loss. Objectives: 1) To assess differences in the efficacy of weight loss and HbA1c; 2) to evaluate the safety and adherence during the titration phase. Methods: It is a multicenter, prospective, and observational study on GLP1 RA naïve patients. The primary end point was the weight loss (?5 %). Changes in weight, BMI and HbA1c were also calculated as co-primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints were safety, adherence, and tolerance. Results: Among 94 subjects, 42.4 % received dulaglutide, 29,3 % subcutaneous semaglutide, 22,8 % oral semaglutide. 45 % female and the mean age was 62. Baseline characteristics were body weight 99.3 kg, BMI 36.7 kg/m2 and Hba1c 8.2 %. Oral semaglutide achieved the highest reduction: 61.1 % of patients achieving ? 5 %, subcutaneous semaglutide 45.8 % and dulaglutide 40.6 %. GLP1 RA significantly reduced body weight (?4.95 kg, p < 0.001) and BMI (?1.86 kg/m2, p < 0.001), without significant differences between groups. Gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequently reported events (74.5 %). 62 % of patients on dulaglutide, 25 % on oral semaglutide and 22 % on subcutaneous semaglutide. Conclusions: Oral semaglutide achieved the highest proportion of patients that lost ? 5 %. GLP1 RA significantly reduced BMI and HbA1c. Most of the reported adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders and they were reported in a major frequency in the dulaglutide group. Oral semaglutide would be a reasonable switch in case of future shortages.