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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2024; 132(06): 316-327
DOI: 10.1055/a-2303-8558
Meta-Analyses

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

Gilson Dorneles
1   Responsabilidade Social. Hospital Moinhos de Vento. Porto Alegre/Brazil
,
Ellen Algeri
2   Núcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde. Hospital Universitário da Universidade da Grande Dourados. Dourados/Brazil
,
Gerhard Lauterbach
3   Núcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde - Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de São Carlos. São Carlos/Brazil
,
Marcelo Pereira
4   Centro de Informação Sobre Medicamentos. Secretaria de Saúde do Estado da Bahia. Salvador/Brazil
,
Brigida Fernandes
5   Instituto Capixaba de Ensino, Pesquisa e Inovação em Saúde (ICEPi), Vitória, ES, Brazil
› Author Affiliations Funding Information Ministério da Saúde — http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100006506;
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Abstract

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.

Keywords

GLP-1 receptor agonist - obesity - weight management - anti-obesity drugs - meta-analysis

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 12 February 2024
Received: 21 March 2024

Accepted: 06 April 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
10 April 2024

Article published online:
13 June 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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