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Study · Case report or series · n = 1 · 2024

5 results

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency During the Use of Semaglutide: A Case Report.

Agra de Melo Junior C, Gomes Júnior NE, da Silva Ribeiro-Sousa MA, Cunha SFC

Cureus5 Mar 2024Cited by 1 (Europe PMC)

PMID38576650 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC10993639 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.7759/cureus.55549 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-38576650
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Summary

Although acute pancreatitis has been reported as an adverse event in patients treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues, to date we have not identified a case describing exocrine pancreatic insufficiency related to this drug. Here we present a case of a patient with no history of acute pancreatitis, who was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during the third year of weekly subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity control. A 68-year-old man with previous unsuccessful therapeutic approaches for weight loss used subcutaneous semaglutide, once a week, for 181 weeks. The pharmacological treatment, combined with instructions on lifestyle changes, resulted in a weight loss of 11.6% of initial body weight, with a reduction in body mass index from 35.7 to 31.9 kg/m2. The patient received a regular dose of 0.5mg/week in the first 14 weeks in a private physician's office. During this period, an asymptomatic elevation of serum lipase was identified and attributed to alcohol consumption. Because the patient complained of less satiety and weight loss stabilization, the dose of semaglutide was increased to 1.0mg/week. Serum lipase levels increased to up to eight times the upper normal limit and the use of semaglutide was discontinued for 10 weeks. Due to progressive weight regain and serum lipase levels being near normal, semaglutide was reintroduced at 0.25mg/week with progressive increments until 1.0mg/week. The patient missed the follow-up appointments, continued the same dose of semaglutide for another 16 weeks, and discontinued treatment after another asymptomatic elevation in serum lipase levels. Four weeks later, the patient reported steatorrhea and was seen by a gastroenterologist, who diagnosed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. The course of our case suggests a potential association between semaglutide and chronic alcohol consumption in the development of exogenous pancreatic insufficiency. We call attention to the importance of regular monitoring of serum lipase levels in patients taking GLP-1 analogues and suggest that the consumption of any amount of alcohol should be discouraged in patients in long-term treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study5

5 results from studies that gave the peptide. 5 results from people.

  1. 01HumanCase report or seriesEfficacy outcome

    In a 68-year-old man with obesity, semaglutide with lifestyle instructions led to a weight loss of 11.6% of initial body weight.

    In plain wordsIn one man with obesity, semaglutide plus lifestyle advice was followed by a weight loss of 11.6%.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseBody weight loss
    Study

    n = 1

    Outcome group
    Body weight · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    0.5 mg/week, increased to 1.0 mg/week · subcutaneous · 181 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Weight loss
    −11.6%
    of initial body weight

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The pharmacological treatment, combined with instructions on lifestyle changes, resulted in a weight loss of 11.6% of initial body weight
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Here we present a case of a patient with no history of acute pancreatitis, who was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during the third year of weekly subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity control.
    Summary · context
    A 68-year-old man with previous unsuccessful therapeutic approaches for weight loss used subcutaneous semaglutide, once a week, for 181 weeks.
  2. 02HumanCase report or seriesEfficacy outcome

    In a 68-year-old man with obesity, body mass index fell from 35.7 to 31.9 kg/m2 on semaglutide with lifestyle instructions.

    In plain wordsIn one man with obesity, body mass index fell from 35.7 to 31.9 on semaglutide plus lifestyle advice.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseBody mass index
    Study

    n = 1

    Outcome group
    Body weight · Metabolic and weight
    Studied dose
    0.5 mg/week, increased to 1.0 mg/week · subcutaneous · 181 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    BMI before
    35.7 kg/m2
    baseline
    BMI after
    31.9 kg/m2
    end of treatment

    Source sentences

    Summary
    with a reduction in body mass index from 35.7 to 31.9 kg/m2.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Here we present a case of a patient with no history of acute pancreatitis, who was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during the third year of weekly subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity control.
    Summary · context
    A 68-year-old man with previous unsuccessful therapeutic approaches for weight loss used subcutaneous semaglutide, once a week, for 181 weeks.
  3. 03HumanCase report or seriesSafety outcome

    In a 68-year-old man, serum lipase rose to up to eight times the upper normal limit after the semaglutide dose was increased to 1.0 mg/week, and the drug was stopped for 10 weeks.

    In plain wordsIn one man, a pancreas enzyme (lipase) rose to up to eight times the normal limit after the dose went up.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    IncreaseSerum lipase elevation after dose increase
    Study

    n = 1

    Outcome group
    Gastrointestinal adverse events · Gastrointestinal
    Studied dose
    1.0 mg/week · subcutaneous · 181 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Serum lipase levels increased to up to eight times the upper normal limit and the use of semaglutide was discontinued for 10 weeks.
    3 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Because the patient complained of less satiety and weight loss stabilization, the dose of semaglutide was increased to 1.0mg/week.
    Summary · context
    Here we present a case of a patient with no history of acute pancreatitis, who was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during the third year of weekly subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity control.
    Summary · context
    A 68-year-old man with previous unsuccessful therapeutic approaches for weight loss used subcutaneous semaglutide, once a week, for 181 weeks.
  4. 04HumanCase report or seriesSafety outcome

    In a 68-year-old man, after semaglutide was reintroduced, another asymptomatic serum lipase elevation led him to discontinue treatment.

    In plain wordsIn one man, lipase rose again without symptoms after semaglutide was restarted, and he stopped treatment.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    IncreaseSecond serum lipase elevation and discontinuation
    Study

    n = 1

    Outcome group
    Gastrointestinal adverse events · Gastrointestinal
    Studied dose
    1.0 mg/week · subcutaneous · 181 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The patient missed the follow-up appointments, continued the same dose of semaglutide for another 16 weeks, and discontinued treatment after another asymptomatic elevation in serum lipase levels.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Here we present a case of a patient with no history of acute pancreatitis, who was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during the third year of weekly subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity control.
    Summary · context
    A 68-year-old man with previous unsuccessful therapeutic approaches for weight loss used subcutaneous semaglutide, once a week, for 181 weeks.
  5. 05HumanCase report or seriesSafety outcome

    In a 68-year-old man, steatorrhea appeared four weeks after stopping semaglutide and a gastroenterologist diagnosed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

    In plain wordsIn one man, fatty stools began four weeks after stopping semaglutide, and doctors diagnosed weak pancreas enzyme output.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    IncreaseExocrine pancreatic insufficiency
    Study

    n = 1

    Outcome group
    Gastrointestinal adverse events · Gastrointestinal
    Studied dose
    0.5 mg/week, increased to 1.0 mg/week · subcutaneous · 181 weeksAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Four weeks later, the patient reported steatorrhea and was seen by a gastroenterologist, who diagnosed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Here we present a case of a patient with no history of acute pancreatitis, who was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency during the third year of weekly subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity control.
    Summary · context
    A 68-year-old man with previous unsuccessful therapeutic approaches for weight loss used subcutaneous semaglutide, once a week, for 181 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

    11 Oct 2026, 00:04 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:06 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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