Addition of liraglutide to sleeve gastroplasty tied to superior weight loss: Study

The endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) has been shown to be effective for inducing weight loss. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a restrictive endoscopic bariatric procedure that provides a gastric tubulization obtained by placing full-thickness stitches. It has a double mechanism of action: the first is restriction of the gastric cavity and the second is alteration of gastric peristalsis. The result is a long-lasting feeling of satiety.

In recent years, this technique has provided excellent results: it proved to be safe (1% complication rate), quick, and statistically effective in ensuring weight loss. Inspite of this fact,very limited studies have been done in this regard.

With this background, Researchers under D Badurdeen, investigated the impact of liraglutide on percentage of total body weight loss (%TBWL), percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL), and percentage of visceral fat among patients who underwent endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG).

The study design was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from patients undergoing ESG at 3 outpatient clinics in Brazil, between November 2017 and July 2018.Regarding the study methodology, Liraglutide was initiated 5 months after ESG in 26 patients, and 12-month outcomes were compared with patients who had ESG only. Patients that opted to take liraglutide (ESG-L) were matched 1:1 to patients that declined it (ESG). Primary outcome was percent total body weight loss (%TBWL), and percent excess weight loss (%EWL) 7 months after initiation of liraglutide (12 months after ESG). Secondary outcome was change in percent body fat 12 months after ESG. ESG technique and postprocedure follow-up was identical at all 3 sites.

On data analysis, the following facts emerged.

• Adjusted comparisons between the 2 groups showed that patients who opted to take liraglutide had a superior mean %TBWL 7 months after initiation of liraglutide (ESG-L) compared with those that declined it (ESG), 24.72 ± 2.12% versus 20.51 ± 1.68% (p <0.001).
• ESG-L had a statistically greater reduction in percent body fat compared with ESG, 7.85 ± 1.26 versus 10.54 ± 1.88 (p <0.001) at 12 months.

"Liraglutide improves the efficacy of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty for weight loss; however, further studies are needed to evaluate the optimal dose, timing of initiation, and duration of this GLP-1 agonist."concluded the authors.

For further reference log on to:

Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Plus Liraglutide Versus Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Alone for Weight LossGastrointest. Endosc. 2020 Oct 16;[EPub Ahead of Print], D Badurdeen, AC Hoff, A Hedjoudje, A Adam, MI Itani, J Farha, S Abbarh, AN Kalloo, MA Khashab, V Singh, A Oberbach, MG Neto, S Barricello, V Kumbhari