Rosario Pastor and Josep A. Tur* Pages 1783 - 1790 ( 8 )
Background: Several drugs have been currently approved for the treatment of obesity. The pharmacokinetic of liraglutide, as well as the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, have been widely described.
Objective: To analyze the published systematic reviews on the use of liraglutide for the treatment of obesity.
Methods: Systematic reviews were found out through MEDLINE searches, through EBSCO host and the Cochrane Library based on the following terms: "liraglutide" as major term and using the following Medical Subject Headings (MesH) terms: "obesity", "overweight", "weight loss". A total of 3 systematic reviews were finally included to be analyzed.
Results: From the three systematic reviews selected, only two included the randomized clinical trials, while the third study reviewed both randomized and non-randomized clinical trials. Only one review performed statistical tests of heterogeneity and a meta-analysis, combining the results of individual studies. Another review showed the results of individual studies with odds ratio and confidence interval, but a second one just showed the means and confidence intervals. In all studies, weight loss was registered in persons treated with liraglutide in a dose dependent form, reaching a plateau at 3.0 mg dose, which was reached just in men. Most usual adverse events were gastrointestinal.
Conclusion: More powerful and prospective studies are needed to assess all aspects related to liraglutide in the overweight and obesity treatment.
Liraglutide, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1), obesity, overweight, weight loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca