Efficacy and safety profile of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist in obese Type-2 diabetes patients from a private institution in Karachi

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of GLP-1RAs in managing obese T2DM patients. METHODS: This prospective cohort analysis was conducted at Medicell Institute of Diabetes, Karachi, Pakistan; from July 2019 to July 2021. A total of 97 obese individuals >16 years of age with T2DM and IGT were initially enrolled, and 81 patients who showed up for the follow-up were prescribed one of the three GLP-1RAs available in Pakistan. RESULTS: Out of 81 patients who showed up for the follow-up visit, 43 had received Liraglutide, 25 were taking Dulaglutide, and 13 had been prescribed IDegLira supplemented with oral hypoglycemic medications ± insulin. The mean age of the enrolled patients was 49.21(12.44) years, and there was female predominance (55.6%). Overall, there was a significant weight and BMI reduction among the patients treated with either of the GLP-1RAs (P<.01). Furthermore, significant glycemic control was observed in all three groups after the treatment. The Dulaglutide group demonstrated a more significant reduction of HbA1c compared to Liraglutide group, which showed more pronounced weight and BMI reduction. Nevertheless, this class of medications was well-tolerated, with nausea being the most often reported side effect. CONCLUSION: GLP-1RAs showed favorable weight and HbA1c reduction among patients of all three treatment groups.