JAMA Surg

Increasing number of patients start GLP-1s in years following bariatric surgery

August 29, 2025

Study details: This retrospective cohort study analyzed electronic health records from over 112,000 U.S. adults who underwent bariatric surgery between 2015 and 2023. Patients with no GLP-1 use in the year prior to surgery were included. Researchers assessed GLP-1 initiation postoperatively and examined associations with sociodemographic and clinical factors using Cox regression models.

Results: GLP-1 agonists were initiated by 14% of patients after surgery, with most starting therapy between 2 and 6 years postoperatively. Initiation was more likely among women (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.61), those undergoing sleeve gastrectomy (aHR, 1.42), and individuals with T2DM (aHR, 1.34). Each 1-unit increase in postsurgical BMI was associated with an 8% higher likelihood of GLP-1 initiation.

Clinical impact: GLP-1 therapy is increasingly used after bariatric surgery, particularly in patients with inadequate weight loss or weight regain. These findings underscore the need for personalized postoperative management strategies and may inform future guidelines on integrating pharmacotherapy with surgical obesity treatment.

Source:

Kim M, et al. (2025, August 27). JAMA Surg. Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists Among Individuals Undergoing Bariatric Surgery in the US. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40864458/