Effect of liraglutide administration and a calorie-restricted diet on lipoprotein profile in overweight/obese persons with prediabetes

- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in overweight individuals with prediabetes.
- Lipid profile improves with liraglutide-assisted weight loss in prediabetes.
- Measures of lipid metabolism did not change in the placebo-treated group.
- Liraglutide-assisted weight loss may help reduce CVD risk in persons with prediabetes.

Background and aimsTo evaluate the effects of 14 weeks of liraglutide plus modest caloric restriction on lipid/lipoprotein metabolism in overweight/obese persons with prediabetes.Methods and resultsVolunteers with prediabetes followed a calorie-restricted diet (−500 Kcal/day) plus liraglutide (n = 23) or placebo (n = 27) for 14 weeks. The groups were similar in age (58 ± 7 vs. 58 ± 8 years) and body mass index (31.9 ± 2.8 vs. 31.9 ± 3.5 kg/m2). A comprehensive lipid/lipoprotein profile was obtained before and after intervention using vertical auto profile (VAP). Weight loss was greater in the liraglutide group than in the placebo group (6.9 vs. 3.3 kg, p < 0.001), as was the fall in fasting plasma glucose concentration (9.9 mg/dL vs. 0.3 mg/dL, p < 0.001). VAP analysis revealed multiple improvements in lipid/lipoprotein metabolism in liraglutide-treated compared with placebo-treated volunteers, including decreases in concentrations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and several of its subclasses, triglyceride, and non-high-density cholesterol. The liraglutide-treated group also had a significant shift away from small, dense low-density lipoprotein-particles, as well as decreases in apolipoprotein B concentration and ratio of apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-1. There were no significant changes in the lipoprotein profile in the placebo-treated group.ConclusionTreatment with liraglutide plus modest calorie restriction led to enhanced weight loss, a decrease in fasting plasma glucose concentration, and improvement in multiple aspects of lipid/lipoprotein metabolism associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The significant clinical benefit associated with liraglutide-assisted weight loss in a group at high risk for CVD - obese/overweight individuals with prediabetes - as seen in our pilot study, suggests that this approach deserves further study.