glucagon-like-peptide-1 and Cholelithiasis

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have been widely recommended for glucose control and cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes, and more recently, for weight loss. However, the associations of GLP-1 RAs with gallbladder or biliary diseases are controversial.. To evaluate the association of GLP-1 RA treatment with gallbladder and biliary diseases and to explore risk factors for these associations.. MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library (inception to June 30, 2021), websites of clinical trial registries (July 10, 2021), and reference lists. There were no language restrictions.. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing the use of GLP-1 RA drugs with placebo or with non-GLP-1 RA drugs in adults.. Two reviewers independently extracted data according to the PRISMA recommendations and assessed the quality of each study with the Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool. Pooled relative risks (RRs) were calculated using random or fixed-effects models, as appropriate. The quality of evidence for each outcome was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) framework.. The primary outcome was the composite of gallbladder or biliary diseases. Secondary outcomes were biliary diseases, biliary cancer, cholecystectomy, cholecystitis, and cholelithiasis. Data analyses were performed from August 5, 2021, to September 3, 2021.. A total of 76 RCTs involving 103 371 patients (mean [SD] age, 57.8 (6.2) years; 41 868 [40.5%] women) were included. Among all included trials, randomization to GLP-1 RA treatment was associated with increased risks of gallbladder or biliary diseases (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.23-1.52); specifically, cholelithiasis (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.47), cholecystitis (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.14-1.62), and biliary disease (RR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.08-2.22). Use of GLP-1 RAs was also associated with increased risk of gallbladder or biliary diseases in trials for weight loss (n = 13; RR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.64-3.18) and for type 2 diabetes or other diseases (n = 63; RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.14-1.43; P <.001 for interaction). Among all included trials, GLP-1 RA use was associated with higher risks of gallbladder or biliary diseases at higher doses (RR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.36-1.78) compared with lower doses (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.73-1.33; P  = .006 for interaction) and with longer duration of use (RR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.26-1.56) compared with shorter duration (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.48-1.31; P  = .03 for interaction).. This systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs found that use of GLP-1 RAs was associated with increased risk of gallbladder or biliary diseases, especially when used at higher doses, for longer durations, and for weight loss.. PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42021271599.

Topics: Adult; Cholecystitis; Cholelithiasis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Weight Loss

Several cases of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis have been reported in patients treated with glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and GLP-2 receptor agonists (GLP-2RAs), respectively. Thus, the effects of GLP-1 and GLP-2 on gallbladder motility have been investigated. We have provided an overview of the mechanisms regulating gallbladder motility and highlight novel findings on the effects of bile acids and glucagon-like peptides on gallbladder motility.. The articles included in the present review were identified using electronic literature searches. The search results were narrowed to data reporting the effects of bile acids and GLPs on gallbladder motility.. Bile acids negate the effect of postprandial cholecystokinin-mediated gallbladder contraction. Two bile acid receptors seem to be involved in this feedback mechanism, the transmembrane Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) and the nuclear farnesoid X receptor. Furthermore, activation of TGR5 in enteroendocrine L cells leads to release of GLP-1 and, possibly, GLP-2. Recent findings have pointed to the existence of a bile acid-TGR5-L cell-GLP-2 axis that serves to terminate meal-induced gallbladder contraction and thereby initiate gallbladder refilling. GLP-2 might play a dominant role in this axis by directly relaxing the gallbladder. Moreover, recent findings have suggested GLP-1RA treatment prolongs the refilling phase of the gallbladder.. GLP-2 receptor activation in rodents acutely increases the volume of the gallbladder, which might explain the risk of gallbladder diseases associated with GLP-2RA treatment observed in humans. GLP-1RA-induced prolongation of human gallbladder refilling may explain the gallbladder events observed in GLP-1RA clinical trials.

Topics: Bile Acids and Salts; Cholecystitis; Cholecystokinin; Cholelithiasis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Gallbladder; Gallbladder Emptying; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 Receptor; Glucagon-Like Peptides; Humans; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Smooth; Obesity; Postprandial Period

Obesity is a global health challenge with few pharmacologic options. Whether adults with obesity can achieve weight loss with once-weekly semaglutide at a dose of 2.4 mg as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention has not been confirmed.. In this double-blind trial, we enrolled 1961 adults with a body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) of 30 or greater (≥27 in persons with ≥1 weight-related coexisting condition), who did not have diabetes, and randomly assigned them, in a 2:1 ratio, to 68 weeks of treatment with once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (at a dose of 2.4 mg) or placebo, plus lifestyle intervention. The coprimary end points were the percentage change in body weight and weight reduction of at least 5%. The primary estimand (a precise description of the treatment effect reflecting the objective of the clinical trial) assessed effects regardless of treatment discontinuation or rescue interventions.. The mean change in body weight from baseline to week 68 was -14.9% in the semaglutide group as compared with -2.4% with placebo, for an estimated treatment difference of -12.4 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], -13.4 to -11.5; P<0.001). More participants in the semaglutide group than in the placebo group achieved weight reductions of 5% or more (1047 participants [86.4%] vs. 182 [31.5%]), 10% or more (838 [69.1%] vs. 69 [12.0%]), and 15% or more (612 [50.5%] vs. 28 [4.9%]) at week 68 (P<0.001 for all three comparisons of odds). The change in body weight from baseline to week 68 was -15.3 kg in the semaglutide group as compared with -2.6 kg in the placebo group (estimated treatment difference, -12.7 kg; 95% CI, -13.7 to -11.7). Participants who received semaglutide had a greater improvement with respect to cardiometabolic risk factors and a greater increase in participant-reported physical functioning from baseline than those who received placebo. Nausea and diarrhea were the most common adverse events with semaglutide; they were typically transient and mild-to-moderate in severity and subsided with time. More participants in the semaglutide group than in the placebo group discontinued treatment owing to gastrointestinal events (59 [4.5%] vs. 5 [0.8%]).. In participants with overweight or obesity, 2.4 mg of semaglutide once weekly plus lifestyle intervention was associated with sustained, clinically relevant reduction in body weight. (Funded by Novo Nordisk; STEP 1 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03548935).

Topics: Adult; Anti-Obesity Agents; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Cholelithiasis; Diarrhea; Double-Blind Method; Female; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Glucagon-Like Peptides; Healthy Lifestyle; Humans; Injections, Subcutaneous; Lipids; Male; Middle Aged; Nausea; Obesity; Prediabetic State; Weight Loss

Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog and recently started to be using as an incretin-based treatment for diabetes mellitus. Liraglutide causes some adverse affects including nausea, vomiting, acute nasopharyngitis and acute pancreatitis. However, development of liraglutide-dependent cholelithiasis has not been reported in the literature. A 75-year-old female patient had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus for 10 years and she has been treated by liraglutide for 6 months. The patient was admitted to the emergency service due to sudden onset of abdominal pain. After laboratory and imaging studies, she was diagnosed with acute cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. And then patient's oral intake was stopped, intravenous fluid and ceftriaxone 2 g/day were started. Furthermore, liraglutide treatment discontinued and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was started to treat cholelithiasis. During follow-up, abdominal pain completely relieved. Hepatobiliary ultrasonography in sixth month follow-up showed entirely regression of cholelithiasis. Any liraglutide-related cholelithiasis case has not been reported in the literature previously. Therefore, our case is the first case. Especially, elderly diabetic patients who are started to liraglutide treatment should be monitored closely for the formation of cholelithiasis. UDCA treatment would be an alternative prior to surgical treatment for liraglutide-related cholelithiasis.

Topics: Aged; Cholagogues and Choleretics; Cholelithiasis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Liraglutide; Treatment Outcome; Ursodeoxycholic Acid; Withholding Treatment