Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Jul-Aug;23(4):460-467.
doi: 10.4103/ijem.IJEM_185_19.

Role of Metformin, Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonists, and Orlistat based Multidrug Therapy in Glycemic Control, Weight Loss, and Euglycemia in Diabesity: A Real-World Experience

Affiliations

Role of Metformin, Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonists, and Orlistat based Multidrug Therapy in Glycemic Control, Weight Loss, and Euglycemia in Diabesity: A Real-World Experience

Deep Dutta et al. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated the real-world weight loss and glycemic outcomes of multidrug therapy (MDT) according to various combinations of metformin, sodium-glucose cotransporter -2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor analogs (GLP1a), and orlistat in diabesity.

Methods: Data retrospectively captured from medical records of 2 different centers in New Delhi for patients >35 years-age having prediabetes/diabetes and on at least any one of the 4 above medications with >6-months follow-up was analyzed.

Results: In total, 5,336 patient records were screened; 2,442 with prediabetes/diabetes were considered; 1,509 patients who fulfilled all criteria were analyzed. Use of metformin, SGLT2i, sulfonylureas, DPP4i, pioglitazone, orlistat, and GLP1a was 85.35%, 74.95%, 68.32%, 60%, 39.16%, 9.08%, and 4.17%, respectively. However, 365, 970, and 104 patients were on one of 4 concerned medications (Group-1; 24.18%), dual MDT (Group-2; 64.28%), and triple/quadruple MDT (Group-3; 6.89%). Metformin with SGLT2i was most commonly used dual MDT (94.12%). Analysis according to weight-loss quartiles from 558 patients showed 6.9 kg weight-loss in the highest quartile. People losing maximum weight were significantly younger; had higher use of metformin, SGLT2i, GLP1, orlistat, and lower pioglitazone use; greatest HbA1c reduction (-1.3 vs. -0.3; quartile-1 vs. quartile -4; P < 0.001); and significantly higher occurrence of HbA1c<5.7% (16.8% vs. 6.29%; quartile-1 vs. 4; P < 0.001). Patients in Group-3 had the highest baseline BMI and maximum weight loss with highest number of patients with HbA1c<5.7% (19.44% vs. 10.34%; Group-3 vs. Group-1; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Greater weight loss with HbA1c reduction along with a greater number of patients attaining HbA1c <5.7% highlights that MDT is the way forward to tackle diabesity in India.

Keywords: Diabesity; GLP1 receptor agonists; SGLT2 inhibitors; diabetes reversal; metformin; orlistat; weight loss.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart elaborating the study protocol and flow of patients

References

    1. Dutta D, Mukhopadhyay S. Intervening at prediabetes stage is critical to controlling the diabetes epidemic among Asian Indians. Indian J Med Res. 2016;143:23–6. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dutta D, Choudhuri S, Mondal SA, Mukherjee S, Chowdhury S. Urine albumin creatinine ratio predicts prediabetes progression to diabetes and reversal to normoglycemia: Role of associated insulin resistance, inflammatory cytokines and low vitamin-D. J Diabetes. 2014;6:316–22. - PubMed
    1. Mondal SA, Dutta D, Kumar M, Singh P, Basu M, Selvan C, et al. Neck circumference to height ratio is a reliable predictor of liver stiffness and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in prediabetes. Indian J Endocr Metab. 2018;22:347–54. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lean ME, Leslie WS, Barnes AC, Brosnahan N, Thom G, McCombie L, et al. Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): An open-label, cluster-randomised trial. Lancet. 2018;391:541–51. - PubMed
    1. Medtrak Anti-diabetes medications in US and Europe. 2017 Apr