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Liraglutide, metformin combination yields weight loss in obese PCOS patients
In overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a regimen of liraglutide, combined with metformin and lifestyle changes, yielded significant weight loss, according to recent findings.
In the observational study, researchers evaluated 84 overweight or obese women with PCOS (mean age, 35.5 years) undergoing liraglutide treatment between January 2010 and August 2012 at a private gynecology and fertility facility. All patients had been diagnosed with PCOS based on the Rotterdam criteria and had failed to lose weight on a regimen of metformin and lifestyle modification.
The researchers recorded the following clinical variables for all patients: date of first prescription, weight at liraglutide initiation, height, dose of liraglutide and weight loss at clinical follow-up. Patients followed a lifestyle modification program consisting of a low glycemic diet with no caloric restriction, assistance from a dietician and advice to participate in 45 minutes of moderate physical exercise three times per week. At baseline, 81.7% of the patients were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and 18.3% were overweight (BMI 25-30 kg/m2). Patients underwent the liraglutide regimen for a minimum of 4 weeks.
The researchers found at follow-up the mean weight loss of liraglutide/metformin treated patients was 9.0 kg (P<.0001) and the mean BMI reduction was 3.2 kg/m2 (P<.001).
A total of 81.7% of patients achieved weight loss of more than 5% of baseline weight and 32.9% attained weight loss of more than 10% of their baseline weight. Patients were treated with liraglutide for a mean duration of 27.8 weeks.
Side effects were reported by 22.6% of patients and included nausea (7.1%0, vomiting (1.2%), diarrhea (4.8%), constipation (1.2%), abdominal pain/discomfort (7.1%), itching (2.4%) and nonspecific discomfort (4.8%).
“The results of this study indicate that liraglutide in combination with metformin and lifestyle intervention may be an effective alternative for weight loss in women with PCOS who fail to lose weight on diet, exercise and metformin,” the researchers wrote. “However, larger, prospective, placebo-controlled intervention studies in overweight and obese women with PCOS are needed to establish the effect on weight loss. The clinical effect of weight loss on reproductive and metabolic parameters should be investigated.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.