Differences in weight loss and safety between the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: A non-randomized multicenter study from the titration phase.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Weight loss (≥5 %) reduces the risk of CVD. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1 RA) have shown clinically weight loss. OBJECTIVES: 1) To assess differences in the efficacy of weight loss and HbA1c; 2) to evaluate the safety and adherence during the titration phase. METHODS: It is a multicenter, prospective, and observational study on GLP1 RA naïve patients. The primary end point was the weight loss (≥5 %). Changes in weight, BMI and HbA1c were also calculated as co-primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints were safety, adherence, and tolerance. RESULTS: Among 94 subjects, 42.4 % received dulaglutide, 29,3 % subcutaneous semaglutide, 22,8 % oral semaglutide. 45 % female and the mean age was 62. Baseline characteristics were body weight 99.3 kg, BMI 36.7 kg/m2 and Hba1c 8.2 %. Oral semaglutide achieved the highest reduction: 61.1 % of patients achieving ≥ 5 %, subcutaneous semaglutide 45.8 % and dulaglutide 40.6 %. GLP1 RA significantly reduced body weight (-4.95 kg, p < 0.001) and BMI (-1.86 kg/m2, p < 0.001), without significant differences between groups. Gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequently reported events (74.5 %). 62 % of patients on dulaglutide, 25 % on oral semaglutide and 22 % on subcutaneous semaglutide. CONCLUSIONS: Oral semaglutide achieved the highest proportion of patients that lost ≥ 5 %. GLP1 RA significantly reduced BMI and HbA1c. Most of the reported adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders and they were reported in a major frequency in the dulaglutide group. Oral semaglutide would be a reasonable switch in case of future shortages.

Efecto de la crisis económica sobre el consumo de psicofármacos en Asturias / Effect of the economic crisis on consumption of psychotropic drugs in Asturias (Spain)

Objetivo: Evaluar si la crisis económica de 2008ha comportado cambios en la evolución del consumo de ansiolíticos, hipnótico-sedantes y antidepresivos en Asturias. Método: Estudio descriptivo y de utilización de medicamentos durante 2003-2013. Se calcularon las dosis diarias definidas por 1000 habitantes/día (DHD) de ansiolíticos, hipnótico-sedantes y antidepresivos. Se obtuvieron coeficientes de regresión lineal (b) de las DHD de la etapa precrisis (2003-2008) y de la etapa de crisis (2009-2013). Resultados: El consumo de ansiolíticos creció un 40,25%, el de hipnóticos un 88,11% y el de antidepresivos un 80,93%. Para los ansiolíticos: b-(2003-2008)=4,38 DHD/año y b-(2009-2013)=1,08 DHD/año. Para los hipnótico-sedantes: b-(2003-2008)=2,30 DHD/año y b-(2009-2013)=0,40 DHD/año. Para los antidepresivos: b-(2003-2008)=5,79 DHD/año y b-(2009-2013)=2,83 DHD/año. Conclusiones: El incremento del consumo para los tres subgrupos en la época de crisis fue menor que en la época precrisis. No se confirma que la crisis económica haya influido aumentando el consumo de estos medicamentos (AU)

Objective: To assess whether the economic crisis of 2008 has changed the consumption of anxiolytics, hypnotics-sedatives and antidepressants in Asturias (Spain). Method: We conducted a descriptive study of drug use from 2003 -2013. The defined daily doses of 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD) were calculated for anxiolytics, hypnotics-sedatives and antidepressants. Linear regression coefficients (b) of the DHD were obtained for the pre-crisis period (2003-2008) and the crisis period (2009-2013). Results: The consumption of anxiolytics increased by 40.25%, that of hypnotics by 88.11% and that of antidepressants by 80.93%. For anxiolytics: b-(2003-2008)=4.38 DDI/year and b-(2009-2013)=1.08 DDI/year. For hypnotics-sedatives: b-(2003-2008)=2.30 DDI/year and b-(2009-2013)=0.40 DDI/year. For antidepressants: b-(2003-2008)=5.79 DDI/year and b-(2009-2013)=2.83 DDI/year. Conclusions: The rise in consumption of the three subgroups during the crisis period was lower than that of the pre-crisis period. This study does not confirm the influence of the economic crisis on the rise in consumption of these drugs (AU)

[Effect of the economic crisis on consumption of psychotropic drugs in Asturias (Spain)]. / Efecto de la crisis económica sobre el consumo de psicofármacos en Asturias.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the economic crisis of 2008 has changed the consumption of anxiolytics, hypnotics-sedatives and antidepressants in Asturias (Spain). METHOD: We conducted a descriptive study of drug use from 2003 -2013. The defined daily doses of 1000 inhabitants per day (DHD) were calculated for anxiolytics, hypnotics-sedatives and antidepressants. Linear regression coefficients (b) of the DHD were obtained for the pre-crisis period (2003-2008) and the crisis period (2009-2013). RESULTS: The consumption of anxiolytics increased by 40.25%, that of hypnotics by 88.11% and that of antidepressants by 80.93%. For anxiolytics: b-(2003-2008)=4.38 DDI/year and b-(2009-2013)=1.08 DDI/year. For hypnotics-sedatives: b-(2003-2008)=2.30 DDI/year and b-(2009-2013)=0.40 DDI/year. For antidepressants: b-(2003-2008)=5.79 DDI/year and b-(2009-2013)=2.83 DDI/year. CONCLUSIONS: The rise in consumption of the three subgroups during the crisis period was lower than that of the pre-crisis period. This study does not confirm the influence of the economic crisis on the rise in consumption of these drugs.