Semaglutide suitable for people with HIV and fatty liver disease

Semaglutide suitable for people with HIV and fatty liver disease

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-3354    

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A study of persons with HIV (PWH) and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease, also known as ‘fatty liver disease,’ (MASLD) found that semaglutide was highly effective at reducing liver fat and cardiovascular disease risk in this population. The brief research report was published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers conducted a study of 51 PWH with central adiposity, insulin resistance or prediabetes, and fatty liver disease who were observed over a period of 24 weeks and given semaglutide. The authors found that 29 percent of participants had complete resolution of MASLD, and 58 percent had a relative reduction in liver fat of at least 30 percent. They also report that all participants tolerated 1 mg weekly semaglutide. According to the authors, given the high cardiometabolic disease burden and growing obesity epidemic among PWH, semaglutide may reduce CVD risk while preventing progressive liver disease.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at [email protected]. To speak with the corresponding author, Jordan E. Lake, MD, MSCR, please contact [email protected] or 713-500-3030.

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3. Small gains in survival with modestly higher risk for adverse events for cancer patients participating in experimental clinical trials

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-2515    

URL goes live when the embargo lifts      

A systematic review and analysis of 128 trials found that cancer patients’ participation in clinical trials are associated with gains in survival compared with patients given standard-of-care treatments that were statistically significant but not clinically important. These gains also came at the cost of greater risk for serious adverse events (SAEs). The review is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from McGill University conducted a systematic review of 128 trials comprising 141 comparisons of a new drug and a comparator. These comparisons included 47,050 patients. The authors found that patients in experimental trials about 5 weeks of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with patients receiving usual standard-of-care. They also note that patients in phase 3 studies or those sponsored by large pharmaceutical companies seem to have greater clinical benefit. However, the authors also found that gains in PFS or OS are potentially offset by a modest but statistically significantly elevated risk for SAEs for patients assigned to experimental groups, corresponding with 7.40 percent increase in absolute risk for a SAE in this group. According to the authors, they believe their findings are best interpreted as suggesting that access to experimental interventions that have not yet received full FDA approval is associated with a marginal but nonzero clinical benefit.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at [email protected]. To speak with the corresponding author, Jonathan Kimmelman, PhD, please contact [email protected].