Liraglutide as add-on to insulin therapy reduces BMI, added sugar intake in obese type 1 diabetes patients: Study
Denmark: According to a recent study in the journal Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, the addition of liraglutide lowered fat and lean body mass in patients with type 1 diabetes and obesity treated with insulin pump therapy. Also, liraglutide decreased the intake of added sugars. However, the researchers observed no difference in total daily energy intake between liraglutide versus placebo-treated participants.
There is a need for a therapeutic strategy that addresses glucose as well as weight management in a large proportion of persons with type 1 diabetes. Previous studies have shown liraglutide as an add-on to insulin therapy to meet this criterion. Considering this, Signe Schmidt, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Gentofte, Denmark, and colleagues aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of liraglutide 1.8 mg daily in 44 overweight adults with insulin pump-treated type 1 diabetes and glucose levels above target and demonstrated significant HbA1c- and body weight-reducing effects in a 26-week randomized placebo-controlled study.
For secondary outcome analysis dual X-ray absorptiometry scans were completed at Week 0 and 26. Questionnaire-based food frequency recordings were obtained at Week 0, 13, and 26 to characterize liraglutide-induced changes in body composition and food intake.
The research yielded the following findings:
- Total fat and lean body mass decreased in liraglutide treated participants (fat mass -4.6 kg; lean mass -2.5 kg) but remained stable in placebo-treated (fat mass -0.3 kg; lean mass 0.0 kg).
- Participants reduced their energy intake numerically more in the liraglutide arm (-1.1 MJ) than in the placebo arm (-0.9 MJ), but the between-group difference was statistically insignificant.
- Energy derived from added sugars decreased by 27% in the liraglutide arm compared with an increase of 14% in the placebo arm.
"Liraglutide lowered fat and lean body mass compared with placebo. Further, liraglutide reduced intake of added sugars," wrote the authors. "However, no significant difference in total daily energy intake was detected between liraglutide and placebo treated participants."
Reference:
doi: 10.1111/dom.14567.
