Obesity
Adherence to semaglutide exceeds that of older weight-loss drugs
January 3, 2024

Adults with obesity who took semaglutide had higher odds of continuing with the medication one year later, according to this retrospective cohort study, which also found that later-stage persistence with initial antiobesity medication (AOM) varies considerably based on the drug and actual weight loss at 6 months.
- This study used EHR records from January 2015 to July 2023 in a large health system in Ohio and Florida and included adults with BMI ≥30 kg/m^2 who had an initial AOM prescription filled between 2015 and 2022.
- Researchers identified 1,911 patients with a median baseline BMI of 38 (IQR, 34-44).
- Over time, 44% were persistent with AOM at 3 months, 33% at 6 months, and 19% at 12 months.
- Across categories of AOM, the highest 1-year persistence was in patients receiving semaglutide (40%). Semaglutide (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.26, 95% CI: 3.04-6.05) was associated with higher odds of 1-year persistence, and naltrexone-bupropion (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.46-1.00) was associated with lower odds, compared with phentermine-topiramate.
- Among patients who were persistent at 6 months, a 1% increase in weight loss at 6 months was associated with 6% increased odds of persistence at year 1 (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.09).
Source:
Gasoyan H, et al. (2023, December 6). Obesity (Silver Spring). Early- and later-stage persistence with antiobesity medications: A retrospective cohort study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38053443/
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