Relationship between exposure to liraglutide and weight loss: a cross-sectional study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Liraglutide treatments have recently been approved for obese diabetic and prediabetic patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between liraglutide and weight loss of these patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Khalid University Hospital outpatient clinics. The participants were over 18 years old, treated with 1.8 mg liraglutide (Victoza (R), Novo Nordisk, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) daily over a 12-month period. Patients' data were extracted from electronic medical records. Body weight after 12 months of liraglutide treatment was evaluated to determine the relationship between the exposure to this drug and the changes in body weight. Glucose control parameters, blood pressure, and lipid profiles were measured and compared at baseline and a year after treatment. A multiple regression model was used to eliminate any effects of potential confounders (sex , age , ethnicity- and weight-related clinical variables). Sixty-eight patients were included with the majority were diabetic treated with antidiabetic medications. Significant decrease was seen in the mean body weight (delta from baseline) -3.82 +/- 5.17 kg (P < 0.001), body mass index 1.41 +/- 1.90 kg (P < 0.001), levels of glycated hemoglobin -0.58 +/- 1.82% (P < 0.014), total cholesterol -0.38 +/- 0.67 mmol/L (P < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein -0.33 +/- 0.65 mmol/L (P < 0.001). The results supported that liraglutide was associated with weight reduction as well as other metabolic parameters in the patients attended King Khalid University Hospital.