Efficacy and Safety of Once-Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide in Overweight or Obese Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Apr 10, 2024Experimental and clinical endocrinology & diabetes : official journal, German Society of Endocrinology [and] German Diabetes Association

Effectiveness and Safety of Weekly Semaglutide Shots in Overweight and Obese Adults

AI simplified

GLP-1 Therapies on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

In a meta-analysis of 22,155 patients, semaglutide treatment led to a 11.80% reduction in relative body weight.

Semaglutide decreased absolute body weight by 11.58 kg on average.
Body mass index (BMI) was reduced by 4.15 kg/m² with semaglutide treatment.
The likelihood of achieving at least 5% weight loss was 2.29 times higher with semaglutide.
Patients were 4.54 times more likely to achieve 10% weight loss and 8.29 times more likely to reach 15% weight loss.
There was a small increase in the risk of adverse events associated with semaglutide, but serious adverse events showed no significant difference.
The treatment was associated with a higher risk of discontinuation and gastrointestinal adverse events.

AI simplified

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide treatment in overweight or obese patients without type 2 diabetes.

METHODS: Randomized clinical trials that assessed the impact of once-weekly semaglutide on body weight and safety outcomes in overweight or obese patients were retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, and Lilacs up to November 2023. Risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2.0, and certainty of evidence (CoE) with GRADE. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted.

RESULTS: Ten publications, with 22.155 patients, were included. Semaglutide decreased relative body weight (MD: -11.80; 95%CI: -13.53 to -10.07; CoE: High), absolute body weight (MD: -11.58; 95%CI: -13.25 to -9.90; CoE: High) and BMI (MD: -4.15; 95%CI: -4.85 to -3.45; CoE: High). Semaglutide also increased the proportion of patients who achieved 5%, 10%, and 15% of weight loss ([weight loss≥5%: RR 2.29, 95% CI: 1.88 to 2.80; CoE: High]; [weight loss≥10%: RR 4.54, 95% CI: 3.45 to 5.98; CoE: High]; [weight loss≥15%: RR 8.29, 95%CI: 5.54 to 12.39; CoE: High]). Semaglutide leads to small risk to adverse events (RR: 1.03; 95%CI: 1 to 1.06; CoE: High), no difference in the serious adverse events (RR: 1.07; 95%CI: 0.70 to 1.62; CoE: Low), but increases in the risk to discontinued treatment (RR: 2.03; 95%CI: 1.87 to 2.20; CoE: High) and gastrointestinal adverse events (RR: 3.26; 95%CI: 1.99 to 5.34; CoE: Moderate).

CONCLUSION: This up-to-date systematic review highlights that once-weekly semaglutide treatment resulted in clinically important weight loss, becoming a promising adjuvant therapy for obesity.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text ↗

Efficacy and Safety of Once-Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide in Overweight or Obese Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the glp-1 therapies brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the glp-1 therapies brief