The Efficacy and Safety of Tirzepatide in Patients with Diabetes and/or Obesity: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

May 28, 2025Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Tirzepatide's effectiveness and safety in people with diabetes or obesity

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Abstract

was evaluated in 14 randomized controlled trials involving 14,713 adults with obesity or type 2 diabetes.

  • Tirzepatide significantly increased the proportion of participants achieving weight loss targets of β‰₯5%, β‰₯10%, and β‰₯15% compared to placebo and insulin.
  • Participants receiving tirzepatide demonstrated reductions in body weight, waist circumference, levels, and blood pressure.
  • When compared to GLP-1 receptor agonists, tirzepatide showed comparable or improved outcomes in weight loss and glycemic control.
  • The incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events was significantly higher with tirzepatide at all doses compared to placebo and insulin.
  • Higher doses of tirzepatide were associated with increased risks of nausea, diarrhea, and decreased appetite in comparison to GLP-1 receptor agonists.

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Key numbers

16.82
Increase in weight loss target achievement
Odds ratio for achieving 15% weight loss target vs. placebo.
βˆ’2.23
Body weight reduction (15 mg dose)
Standard mean difference in body weight reduction vs. insulin.
1.54
Higher incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events
Odds ratio for any adverse events at 5 mg dose vs. placebo.

Full Text

What this is

  • This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates 's efficacy and safety in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
  • It compares against placebo, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and insulin across various outcomes.
  • The analysis includes 14 randomized controlled trials with a total of 14,713 patients.

Essence

  • significantly improves weight loss and metabolic outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity compared to placebo and insulin, though it carries a higher risk of gastrointestinal adverse events.

Key takeaways

  • led to a higher proportion of patients achieving weight loss targets of 5%, 10%, and 15% compared to placebo and insulin.
  • demonstrated greater reductions in body weight, waist circumference, , and blood pressure compared to placebo and insulin.
  • All doses of were associated with a higher incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events compared to placebo and insulin.

Caveats

  • The included trials were predominantly funded by Eli Lilly, which raises potential concerns about bias in reporting.
  • The short duration of the trials limits the assessment of long-term efficacy and safety of .
  • Doses of GLP-1 RAs used in trials were generally lower than approved therapeutic doses, which may affect comparative effectiveness.

Definitions

  • Tirzepatide: A dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for managing type 2 diabetes and obesity.
  • HbA1c: A measure of average blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months, used to assess diabetes control.

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