July 12, 2024

expert reaction to observational study of semaglutide use in type 2 diabetes and 12-month neurological and psychiatric outcomes

A study published in eClinicalMedicine looks at the neurological effects of semaglutide when used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Prof John Wilding, Professor of Medicine & Honorary Consultant Physician, University of Liverpool, said:

“I think the press release sums it up quite well.

“The study does provide further reassurance that semaglutide does not cause major neurological problems when used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and may potentially have some benefits in relation to cognitive decline in this population.  This is an observational study from a real world database and although the researchers have used well validated statistical methods to try and match characteristics of people who took semaglutide or comparators, it is possible that there are other differences between these people that were not recorded in the database that explain these observations.

“As the doses of semaglutide used for treatment of diabetes are lower than those used for treatment of obesity, and people with obesity without diabetes were not included in this study we should not extrapolate these data for use of semaglutide in obesity.

“Further research in the form of randomised controlled trials will be needed to find out for certain if semaglutide does have benefits to reduce cognitive dysfunction or affect smoking rates in people with diabetes.”

‘12-month neurological and psychiatric outcomes of semaglutide use for type 2 diabetes: a propensity-score matched cohort study’ by Riccardo De Giorgi et al. is published in eClinicalMedicine.

DOI: https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.eclinm.2024.102726

Declared interests

Prof John Wilding:

1. I undertake consultancy / advisory board work for the pharmaceutical industry contracted via the University of Liverpool (no personal payment) in relation to obesity and type 2 diabetes.  In the last 36 months I have undertaken work for Altimmune, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, Napp, Novo Nordisk, Menarini, Pfizer, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Saniona, Tern, Shionogi & Ysopia.
2. I am a named grantholder (at University of Liverpool) for research grants for clinical trials from AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk.
3. I am an investigator for commercial trials (fees paid to NHS Trust) for Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Rhythm Pharmaceuticals.
4. I am past president of the World Obesity Federation, and a member of the Association for the Study of Obesity, Diabetes UK, EASD, ADA and Society for Endocrinology.  I am national lead for the Metabolic and Endocrine Speciality Group of the NIHR Clinical Research Network and local lead for North West Coast CRN.  I am a member of the Rank Prize Funds Nutrition Committee.
5. I have undertaken paid editorial work for Springer Nature (Medicine Matters Diabetes website) and have also been paid for lectures / webinars by Medscape.
6. I have received personal honoraria / lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Napp, Novo Nordisk Menarini and Rhythm in relation to lectures about diabetes and/or obesity.

John Wilding reports consultancy / advisory board work for the pharmaceutical industry contracted via the University of Liverpool (no personal payment) for Altimmune, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cytoki, Lilly, Napp, Novo Nordisk, Menarini, Pfizer, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Saniona, Tern, Shionogi & Ysopia; research grants for clinical trials from AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk and personal honoraria / lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Medscape, Napp, Novo Nordisk and Rhythm.

He is past president of the World Obesity Federation, a member of the Association for the Study of Obesity, Diabetes UK, EASD, ADA, Society for Endocrinology and the Rank Prize Funds Nutrition Committee.  He is national lead for the Metabolic and Endocrine Speciality Group of the UK NIHR Clinical Research Network.”