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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 128 · 2024

3 results

Effect of liraglutide on thigh muscle fat and muscle composition in adults with overweight or obesity: Results from a randomized clinical trial.

Pandey A, Patel KV, Segar MW, Ayers C, Linge J, Leinhard OD, Anker SD, Butler J, Verma S, Joshi PH, Neeland IJ

Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle1 Apr 2024Cited by 60 (Europe PMC)

PMID38561962 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC11154779 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1002/jcsm.13445 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-38561962
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Summary

BackgroundExcess muscle fat is observed in obesity and associated with greater burden of cardiovascular risk factors and higher risk of mortality. Liraglutide reduces total body weight and visceral fat but its effect on muscle fat and adverse muscle composition is unknown.MethodsThis is a pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of liraglutide plus a lifestyle intervention on visceral adipose tissue and ectopic fat among adults without diabetes with body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥27 kg/m2 and metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to a once-daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide (target dose 3.0 mg) or matching placebo for 40 weeks. Body fat distribution and muscle composition was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and 40-week follow-up. Muscle composition was described by the combination of thigh muscle fat and muscle volume. Treatment difference (95% confidence intervals [CI]) was calculated by least-square means adjusted for baseline thigh muscle fat. The association between changes in thigh muscle fat and changes in body weight were assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients. The effect of liraglutide versus placebo on adverse muscle composition, denoted by high thigh muscle fat and low thigh muscle volume, was explored.ResultsAmong the 128 participants with follow-up imaging (92.2% women, 36.7% Black), median muscle fat at baseline was 7.8%. The mean percent change in thigh muscle fat over median follow-up of 36 weeks was -2.87% among participants randomized to liraglutide (n = 73) and 0.05% in the placebo group (absolute change: -0.23% vs. 0.01%). The estimated treatment difference adjusted for baseline thigh muscle fat was -0.24% (95% CI, -0.41 to -0.06, P-value 0.009). Longitudinal change in thigh muscle fat was significantly associated with change in body weight in the placebo group but not the liraglutide group. The proportion of participants with adverse muscle composition decreased from 11.0% to 8.2% over follow-up with liraglutide, but there was no change with placebo.ConclusionsIn a cohort of predominantly women with overweight or obesity in the absence of diabetes, once-daily subcutaneous liraglutide was associated with a reduction in thigh muscle fat and adverse muscle composition compared with placebo. The contribution of muscle fat improvement to the cardiometabolic benefits of liraglutide requires further study.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight or obesity, liraglutide reduced thigh muscle fat more than placebo (treatment difference -0.24%).

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight or obesity, liraglutide reduced fat inside thigh muscle more than placebo did.

    Peptide
    Liraglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseThigh muscle fat change
    Study

    n = 128

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Analysis
    Secondary
    Outcome group
    Body composition · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    3.0 mg target dose, once daily · subcutaneous · 40 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Mean percent change in thigh muscle fat
    −2.87%
    liraglutide
    Mean percent change in thigh muscle fat
    0.05%
    placebo
    Treatment difference
    −0.24%
    liraglutide versus placebo

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The mean percent change in thigh muscle fat over median follow-up of 36 weeks was -2.87% among participants randomized to liraglutide (n = 73) and 0.05% in the placebo group (absolute change: -0.23% vs. 0.01%). The estimated treatment difference adjusted for baseline thigh muscle fat was -0.24% (95% CI, -0.41 to -0.06, P-value 0.009).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This is a pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of liraglutide plus a lifestyle intervention on visceral adipose tissue and ectopic fat among adults without diabetes with body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥27 kg/m2 and metabolic syndrome.
    Summary · context
    Participants were randomly assigned to a once-daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide (target dose 3.0 mg) or matching placebo for 40 weeks.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight or obesity, thigh muscle fat change was not significantly associated with body weight change in the liraglutide group, but was in the placebo group.

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight or obesity, thigh muscle fat change tracked weight change in the placebo group but not in the liraglutide group.

    Peptide
    Liraglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeAssociation of thigh muscle fat change with body weight change
    Study

    n = 128

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Analysis
    Secondary
    Outcome group
    Body composition · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    3.0 mg target dose, once daily · subcutaneous · 40 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Longitudinal change in thigh muscle fat was significantly associated with change in body weight in the placebo group but not the liraglutide group.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This is a pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of liraglutide plus a lifestyle intervention on visceral adipose tissue and ectopic fat among adults without diabetes with body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥27 kg/m2 and metabolic syndrome.
    Summary · context
    Participants were randomly assigned to a once-daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide (target dose 3.0 mg) or matching placebo for 40 weeks.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In adults with overweight or obesity, the proportion with adverse muscle composition fell from 11.0% to 8.2% with liraglutide and did not change with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn adults with overweight or obesity, fewer people on liraglutide had unfavourable muscle composition at follow-up; placebo showed no change.

    Peptide
    Liraglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseAdverse muscle composition
    Study

    n = 128

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Analysis
    Secondary
    Outcome group
    Body composition · Musculoskeletal
    Studied dose
    3.0 mg target dose, once daily · subcutaneous · 40 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Adverse muscle composition before
    11%
    liraglutide
    Adverse muscle composition after
    8.2%
    liraglutide

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The proportion of participants with adverse muscle composition decreased from 11.0% to 8.2% over follow-up with liraglutide, but there was no change with placebo.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    This is a pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of liraglutide plus a lifestyle intervention on visceral adipose tissue and ectopic fat among adults without diabetes with body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥27 kg/m2 and metabolic syndrome.
    Summary · context
    Participants were randomly assigned to a once-daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide (target dose 3.0 mg) or matching placebo for 40 weeks.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    12 Oct 2026, 11:11 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:04 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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