In the liraglutide clinical trial programme, liraglutide 1.2 and 1.8 mg were found to effectively lower glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). It is unknown whether baseline body mass index (BMI) is a predictor of change in HbA1c observed during a clinical trial with liraglutide or placebo treatment. The present meta-analysis of patient-level data, using pooled data from seven phase III trials [LEAD-1-6 and the liraglutide versus sitagliptin trial (LIRA-DPP-4)] for liraglutide 1.2, 1.8 mg and placebo (n = 3222), identified no significant correlation between baseline BMI (<20 kg/m(2) up to 45 kg/m(2) ) and HbA1c reduction for placebo or liraglutide 1.2 mg, and a modest, clinically non-relevant, association for liraglutide 1.8 mg [-0.010 (95% confidence interval -0.020, -0.001)], whereby a 10 kg/m(2) increase in baseline BMI corresponded to 0.10%-point (1.1 mmol/mol) greater HbA1c reduction. In summary, reductions in HbA1c obtained during clinical trials with liraglutide or placebo treatment were independent of baseline BMI.
Keywords: body mass index; glycaemic control; liraglutide; meta-analysis; type 2 diabetes.
© 2015 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.