The STEP trials revealed over the previous 12 months have established the efficacy and security of semaglutide in treating sufferers with weight problems. A brand new research analysing the consequences of this therapy in several age teams offered at this 12 months’s European Congress on Obesity (held on-line, 10-13 May), exhibits that it has related effectiveness throughout totally different age teams with regard to weight reduction (underneath 40 years, 40-60 years, and 60 years and over).
However when share physique fats and lean physique mass adjustments, semaglutide was discovered to to have a extra pronounced impact in sufferers aged underneath 50 years. The research is by Dr Dror Dicker, Hasharon Hospital-Rabin Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, and colleagues.
Semaglutide, which belongs to the category of medication known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, was initially developed for and can also be used to deal with sort 2 diabetes. However, its results on weight reduction led researchers to review its impact on weight reduction in folks dwelling with weight problems however with out sort 2 diabetes. It is at the moment not accepted for weight problems anyplace on this planet, nevertheless new drug functions are underneath evaluate by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and different well being companies internationally.
Weight loss is usually accompanied by lack of lean physique mass, which might negatively affect bodily functioning and/or resting power expenditure. Body weight reduction and physique composition adjustments (fats mass vs lean mass) might differ by age. Thus on this research of knowledge from the STEP 1 trial (see hyperlink to unique research beneath), the authors evaluated the tolerability and impact of subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg on weight reduction and physique composition based on age.
Adults with out sort 2 diabetes with physique mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m² or over (obese) with not less than one weight-related comorbidity, or a BMI of 30 kg/m² or above (with weight problems) have been enrolled. Subjects have been randomised to a once-weekly injection of semaglutide 2.4 mg or placebo, each plus way of life intervention, for 68 weeks. Change in physique weight (%) from randomisation to week 68 was analysed based on age: underneath 40 years (n=655), over 40 to underneath 60 years (n=981),and 60 years and over (n=325). Safety and tolerability have been additionally re-analysed throughout these teams.
Total physique fats mass and whole lean physique mass have been measured utilizing twin power X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans in a randomly chosen subgroup of 140 adults (who then gave consent) with BMI of 40 kg/m² or underneath at baseline and week 68. Body composition (share physique fats mass, share lean physique mass, lean:fats mass ratio) have been analysed based on age lower than 50 and 50 years or older.
In STEP 1, most topics have been feminine (74%); imply age was 46 years, imply physique weight was 105 kg, and imply BMI was 38 kg/m². Change in physique weight (%) was higher for semaglutide than for placebo and was constant throughout age teams: 40 years and underneath imply weight reduction 15.2% semaglutide group versus 2.3% placebo; 40-60 years 14.6kg semaglutide versus 2.5kg placebo; and 60 years and over 14.7kg semaglutide versus 2.4kg placebo. The adjustments in lean:fats mass ratio have been discovered to be extra pronounced in these sufferers underneath 50 years – the authors counsel the metabolic results of ageing could possibly be behind this distinction.
The security of semaglutide was usually constant throughout age teams. Gastrointestinal issues have been essentially the most generally reported hostile occasions throughout all age teams.
The authors conclude: “In this new evaluation of the STEP 1 trial, weight reduction with once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg was achieved constantly throughout totally different age teams. There was no proof of variations in therapy impact by weight reduction and physique composition throughout age teams for semaglutide or placebo. Treatment with semaglutide diminished share physique fats mass and elevated share lean physique mass in all topics, which was extra pronounced in these aged underneath 50 years. Semaglutide was usually nicely tolerated with an hostile occasion profile per the recognized class results of this drug – glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) – no matter age.”
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