Effects of semaglutide on cardiovascular risk factors and eating behaviors in type 2 diabetes

AIMS: Aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of once-weekly semaglutide on different end-points indicative of metabolic control, cardiovascular risk, dietary behavior, and treatment satisfaction in T2DM. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a diabetes clinic. Changes in HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, and number of antihypertensive drugs at 32 weeks (T1) after the first prescription of semaglutide (T0) were analyzed. Furthermore, at T1 patients were asked to fill-in the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) and the Control of Eating Questionnaire (COEQ). RESULTS: Overall, 104 patients were identified (mean age 63.6 ± 10.4 years, 58.7% men, diabetes duration 12.7 ± 8.7 years). After 32 weeks of treatment with semaglutide, HbA1c levels were reduced by 1.38%, FBG by − 56.53 mg/dl, weight by 6.03 kg. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total, HDL-, LDL-, and non –HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides significantly improved. The number of glucose-lowering and antihypertensive drugs also decreased. At T1, DTSQ score was 32.23 ± 1.44, whereas COEQ indicated low levels of hunger and good control of eating. CONCLUSIONS: The study documented benefits of semaglutide on metabolic control and multiple CV risk factors, simplification of therapeutic schemes and high satisfaction with diabetes treatment, and eating behaviors indicative of healthy diet and reduced food intake.