Saxenda may reduce sleep apnea episodes through weight loss

Saxenda, approved to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes in Europe and the United States, may reduce the number of sleep apnea episodes, likely through its promotion of weight loss, according to research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Prague.

Researchers found that Saxenda (liraglutide, Novo Nordisk) reduced both the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and body weight in patients with moderate or severe sleep apnea who were unable or unwilling to use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

“Greater improvements in sleep apnea endpoints and quality of life were significantly associated with greater weight loss, irrespective of how the weight loss was achieved,” the researchers wrote. “The safety profile for liraglutide 3 mg was generally consistent with that seen with liraglutide in type 2 diabetes.”

Gary Zammit, PhD, president and CEO of Clinilabs, and colleagues analyzed data from adults with obesity (72% men; mean age, 49 years) and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea participating in the SCALE sleep apnea trial. Participants, who were unable or unwilling to use CPAP therapy, were treated with liraglutide 3 mg (n = 180) or placebo (n = 179), in addition to diet and exercise counseling, for 32 weeks.

Participants had an average AHI of 49.2 events per hour and a mean body weight of 117.6 kg.

Liraglutide 3 mg reduced both AHI (–12.2 vs. –6.1 events/hour) and body weight (–5.7% vs. –1.6%) compared with placebo after 32 weeks, according to researchers. Improvement in AHI was significantly associated with weight loss in both treatment and placebo groups, leading researchers to conclude that liraglutide’s weight-loss effects were responsible for improvement in sleep apnea symptoms.

Researchers noted reductions of 0.7 events per hour for baseline AHI cohorts with less than 30 events per hour; 1.4 events per hour for baseline AHI cohorts of 30 to 59 events per hour; and 2.8 events per hour for baseline AHI cohorts with at least 60 events per hour. Researchers said a reduction in AHI per percentage of weight loss depended on baseline AHI.

Participants also reported greater improvement in various quality-of-life factors along with greater weight loss, including reductions in feelings of sleepiness, improved blood oxygen saturation and improved total sleep time, according to researchers.

“Multiple trials have shown that weight loss is effective in reducing the sleep apnea episodes in people with sleep apnea, and should be considered an essential element of the treatment plan for overweight people with this condition,” Zammit said in a press release. – by Regina Schaffer

Reference:

Zammit G, et al. Improvements in sleep apnea endpoints and quality of life are related to the degree of weight loss. Presented at: European Congress on Obesity; May 6-9, 2015; Prague.

Disclosure: The study was supported by Novo Nordisk.