Metabolic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in rheumatology patients and inflammatory outcomes: a single-centre retrospective cohort
Authors' conclusion
GLP-1RAs were associated with meaningful metabolic improvements in patients with rheumatic diseases, with a favourable safety profile.
Study context
- Population
- Rheumatology outpatients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, single centre, October 2024-October 2025; mean body mass index (BMI) 34.9±9.9 kg/m², diabetes 96.6%169 screened
- Participants
- 119 outpatients
- Exposure
- Chronic inflammatory arthritis vs Non-inflammatory disease
- Chronic inflammatory arthritisn = 46
- Non-inflammatory diseasen = 43reference
- Outcome
- Weight change from GLP-1RA initiation
- Follow-up
- 3, 6 and 12 months
Methodological detailssingle-centre, paired analyses at 3, 6 and 12 months
- Single-centre
- Paired analyses at 3, 6 and 12 months
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Weight change at 3 months
- −4.0 kg
- Weight change at 6 months
- −4.5 kg
- Weight change at 12 months
- −7.7 kg
- Weight change at 12 months, %
- −8.2%
- Improved ≥1 BMI category
- 56.5%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Haemoglobin A1c change · 3, 6 and 12 months
- HbA1c change at 3 months
- −0.97%
- HbA1c change at 6 months
- −0.69%
- HbA1c change at 12 months
- −0.91%
- All p<0.001
Fasting glucose change
- Fasting glucose reduction, up to
- −24.8 mg/dL
- p<0.001
LDL-cholesterol change
- LDL-cholesterol change
- −12.2 mg/dL
- p=0.006
Triglycerides change
- Triglycerides change
- −21.7 mg/dL
- p=0.007
Inflammatory markers · 12 months
- ESR decreased significantly (p=0.023)
- CRP non-significant decline (p=0.076)
- ESR and CRP both significantly reduced in the inflammatory subgroup
Adjusted metabolic trajectories, inflammatory vs non-inflammatory (exploratory)
- No significant differences between inflammatory and non-inflammatory groups
Safety
- Gastrointestinal adverse events (mainly)
- 13.4%
- Pancreatitis
- 0.8%
- Cholecystitis
- 1.7%
- Discontinuation
- 6.7%
- Death (mesenteric ischaemia), unclear causality
- 1
Original publication
Metabolic effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in rheumatology patients and inflammatory outcomes: a single-centre retrospective cohort. RMD Open. Published 25 August 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →