Empagliflozin Aids Weight Loss in Prediabetes and Diabetes

TOPLINE:

First-line empagliflozin, taken once daily for 3 months, leads to a significant reduction in weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference in patients with prediabetes and diabetes.

METHODOLOGY:

• Despite empagliflozin’s recognized weight-reduction benefits, most studies have focused on its use as a second-line treatment with metformin, leaving its effectiveness as a first-line therapy for prediabetes or diabetes uncertain.
• Researchers performed a quasi-experimental study to examine the weight-reduction properties of empagliflozin in patients with prediabetes and diabetes, as defined by American Diabetes Association criteria, who had A1c levels up to 1% above the diagnostic threshold and were not using other blood glucose-controlling medications.
• All patients received a daily dose of 10 mg empagliflozin as a first-line treatment for 3 months, and their weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and A1c levels, and blood pressure were evaluated monthly.
• Changes in weight, BMI, and waist circumference during the 3 months of treatment were also compared between sexes, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) levels, and BMI groups.

TAKEAWAY:

• In total, 43 patients (mean age, 54.84 ± 7.98 years; 48.83% women) completed the study.
• After 12 weeks of treatment, there were significant reductions in average body weight (77.3 to 74.3 kg), BMI (29.5 to 28.4), waist circumference (101.5 cm to 98.3 cm), FPG (114.86 mg/dL to 109.48 mg/dL), and A1c levels (6.52 to 6.38; all P
• Men experienced greater weight loss than women (mean difference, −3.59 kg vs −2.30 kg; P = .029), with no significant difference in BMI and waist circumference changes observed between men and women.
• Weight reduction was greater in patients with a GFR > 90 than in those with a GFR
• Weight and BMI showed a continuous decreasing pattern that did not reach a plateau over the 3-month treatment period, while changes in waist circumference reached a plateau after 1 month of empagliflozin treatment.

IN PRACTICE:

“In the current study, the average weight of the patients decreased by 2.96 kg (3.8%) and the BMI fell by 1.10 Kg/m² (3.72%). The findings of this study are consistent with earlier research showing that empagliflozin promotes weight loss,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Mojgan Sanjari, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. It was published online in Scientific Reports.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s limitations included a small sample size, absence of a control group, and a relatively short duration of patient follow-up.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by the Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The authors reported no competing interests.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.