Top in endocrinology: Obesity drug discontinuation; limitations of telehealth in diabetes
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
About two-thirds of adults who were prescribed an obesity medication stop taking them after 6 months, and 80% discontinued use at 1 year, according to a retrospective cohort study.
Wegovy (semaglutide, Novo Nordick) had the highest persistence rate, with 40% of people continuing use after 1 year.
“We are getting a better understanding of the persistence rates with anti-obesity medications in clinical practice as well as some of the key factors related to long-term receipt of medications for chronic weight management,” Hamlet Gasoyan, PhD, an associate staff in the department of internal medicine and geriatrics, and investigator at the Center for Value-Based Care Research at Cleveland Clinic, told Healio.
It was the top story in endocrinology last week.
Another top story was about changes in HbA1c among adults with type 2 diabetes who used telehealth. After 1 year, patients who used only telehealth did not see a significant change in HbA1c, whereas patients who used in-person visits plus telehealth saw an average decrease in HbA1c of 0.22%.
“Thus, as endocrinology clinicians, we may need to provide additional support for patients with type 2 diabetes who rely on telemedicine alone to access care in order to ensure that patients who face barriers to in-person care, such as those living in rural areas or those who have limited transportation or mobility, can still achieve their treatment goals,” Margaret Zupa, MD, MS, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of endocrinology and metabolism at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told Healio.
Read these and more top stories in endocrinology below:
Most adults prescribed obesity drugs discontinue use at 3 months
More than 80% of adults who are prescribed an obesity medication discontinue taking them at 1 year, though persistence rates are higher for adults receiving semaglutide and liraglutide, according to study data. Read more.
No HbA1c improvements for adults with type 2 diabetes exclusively using telemedicine
A group of adults with type 2 diabetes who used only telemedicine for endocrinology care did not have improvements in HbA1c over 2 years of follow-up, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open. Read more.
FDA warns adults with diabetes about counterfeit semaglutide products
The FDA is warning adults with diabetes to avoid using counterfeit semaglutide that may be circulating in the U.S. drug supply chain, according to a press release. Read more.
Light physical activity of 3 to 4 hours per day may reduce fat mass for young people
Adolescents and young adults who exercise for a longer duration per day, even if it is light physical activity, can reduce their fat mass, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Read more.
Autoimmune thyroid disease risk decreases after rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis
Adults have a decreased risk for developing autoimmune thyroid disease after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, with the risk even lower for those receiving disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, according to study data. Read more.