Once‐weekly subcutaneous semaglutide treatment for persons with type 2 diabetes: Real‐world data from a diabetes out‐patient clinic
Katrine Bagge Hansen, Mathilde Svendstrup, Asger Lund, Filip K. Knop, Tina Vilsbøll, Henrik Vestergaard
Abstract
Abstract Aims The once‐weekly administered glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonist (GLP‐1RA) semaglutide, has, in clinical trials, demonstrated significant reductions in glycated haemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) and body weight in persons with type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the real‐world clinical effects of semaglutide once weekly in a hospital‐based diabetes out‐patient clinic. Methods This retrospective observational cohort study included persons with type 2 diabetes ( n = 119) on a broad range of antidiabetic medicine: GLP‐1RA naïve persons ( n = 37) and GLP‐1RA‐experienced persons ( n = 82). Person characteristics at inclusion: age [median (quartiles)]: 65 (57, 72) years; body weight 99 (86, 118) kg; body mass index (BMI) 33 (29, 38) kg/m²; HbA 1c 61 (54, 69) mmol/mol/(7.7 (7.1, 8.5) %). Data were collected at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months of semaglutide treatment. Data were analysed using a general linear mixed model for repeated measurements. Results After 12 months, the reductions in HbA 1c were (mean [95% confidence interval]: GLP‐1RA naïve: −12.8 [−17.0, −8.5] mmol/mol/ −1.2 [−1.6, −0.8]% ( p < 0.01) and GLP‐1RA experienced: −6.4 [−9.0, −3.8] mmol/mol/ −0.6 [−0.8, −0.4]% ( p < 0.01), respectively. Body weight reductions in GLP‐1RA naïve: −5 [−6.9, −3.1] kg ( p < 0.01) and GLP‐1RA experienced: −3.2 [−4.4, −2.0] kg ( p < 0.01), respectively. Seventy‐five percent received 1 mg QW semaglutide. Conclusion We observed effects of semaglutide once weekly on HbA 1c and body weight comparable with the effects observed in clinical studies with fewer persons in our cohort receiving maximum dose of semaglutide.