Background/Objective: It has been known that liraglutide GLP-1 therapy produces a decrease in body weight with a concurrent decrease in appetite. However, we felt it was important to investigate this phenomenon more deeply in order to ascertain whether there were effects an leanness or body fat, especially visceral fat which may induce atherosclerosis.
Method: We conducted an observation study to investigate the effect of liraglutide therapy (n=53), a GLP-1RAg, on body composition in patients during hospitalization. These results were compared with those obtained from insulin therapy (n=130). Diet therapy (ideal BW x 27 kcal/day including <25% fat and >55% carbohydrate) and exercise therapy after every meal were provided. Body weight changes, body composition (i.e., lean body mass and % body fat) and were analyzed.
Result: We found the body weights of subjects receiving liraglutide decreased by 2.4 ± 2.0. However, for insulin therapy, subjects body weight only decreased by 1.6 ± 2.1 kg (p < 0.05). In addition, lean body mass in the liraglutide and insulin groups showed no significant changes from the first day of therapy. However, regarding visceral fat area (VFA), we found that patients undergoing liraglutide and insulin therapy tended to experience a decrease (101±152.4 vs. 113±171.7 cm2).
Conclusion: Our study showed the administration of liraglutide reduced visceral fat, but not lean body mass. In addition, we found that diet and exercise therapy mostly contribute to decrease in visceral fat regardless of the medication.
S. Kaneko: Speaker's Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Y. Ueda: None. Y. Tahara: None.
