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Study · Systematic review · n = 12,651 · 2024

6 results

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduces atrial fibrillation incidence: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Saglietto A, Falasconi G, Penela D, Francia P, Sau A, Ng FS, Dusi V, Castagno D, Gaita F, Berruezo A, De Ferrari GM, Anselmino M

European journal of clinical investigation26 Jul 2024Cited by 46 (Europe PMC)

PMID39058274 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1111/eci.14292 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-39058274
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

BackgroundGlucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are new anti-hyperglycaemic drugs with proven cardiovascular (CV) benefit in diabetic and non-diabetic patients at high CV risk. Despite a neutral class effect on arrhythmia risk, data on semaglutide suggest a possible drug-specific benefit in reducing atrial fibrillation (AF) occurrence.ObjectiveTo perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.Methods and resultsTen RCTs were included in the analysis. Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months. A random effect meta-analytic model was adopted to pool relative risk (RR) of incident AF. Semaglutide reduces the risk of AF by 42% (RR .58, 95% CI .40-.85), with low heterogeneity across the studies (I2 0%). At subgroup analysis, no differences emerged between oral and subcutaneous administration (oral: RR .53, 95% CI .23-1.24, I2 0%; subcutaneous: RR .59, 95% CI .39-.91, I2 0%; p-value .83). In addition, meta-regression analyses did not show any potential influence of baseline study covariates, in particular the proportion of diabetic patients (p-value .14) and body mass index (BMI) (p-value .60).ConclusionsSemaglutide significantly reduces the occurrence of incident AF by 42% as compared to placebo in individuals at high CV risk, mainly affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus. This effect appears to be consistent independently of the route of administration of the drug (oral or subcutaneous), the presence of underlying diabetes and BMI.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study6

6 results from studies that gave the peptide. 6 results from people.

  1. 01HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients at high cardiovascular risk, semaglutide reduced the risk of incident atrial fibrillation by 42% compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn patients at high heart risk, semaglutide lowered the risk of a new atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) by 42% compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseIncident atrial fibrillation
    Study

    n = 12,651

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · median follow-up of 68 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Relative risk
    0.58 ratio
    semaglutide vs placebo

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Semaglutide reduces the risk of AF by 42% (RR .58, 95% CI .40-.85), with low heterogeneity across the studies (I2 0%).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    To perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.
    Summary · context
    Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months.
  2. 02HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients at high cardiovascular risk, the effect on atrial fibrillation did not differ between oral and subcutaneous semaglutide.

    In plain wordsIn patients at high heart risk, oral and injected semaglutide did not differ in their effect on atrial fibrillation.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeDifference between oral and subcutaneous administration
    Study

    n = 12,651

    Comparator
    Subcutaneous vs oral semaglutide
    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · median follow-up of 68 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    p-value for subgroup difference
    0.83
    oral vs subcutaneous

    Source sentences

    Summary
    At subgroup analysis, no differences emerged between oral and subcutaneous administration (oral: RR .53, 95% CI .23-1.24, I2 0%; subcutaneous: RR .59, 95% CI .39-.91, I2 0%; p-value .83).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    To perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.
    Summary · context
    Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months.
  3. 03HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In meta-regression, the proportion of diabetic patients did not influence the effect of semaglutide on atrial fibrillation.

    In plain wordsIn patients at high heart risk, the share of people with diabetes did not change semaglutide's effect on atrial fibrillation.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeInfluence of proportion of diabetic patients on atrial fibrillation effect
    Study

    n = 12,651

    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · median follow-up of 68 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    p-value
    0.14
    proportion of diabetic patients

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In addition, meta-regression analyses did not show any potential influence of baseline study covariates, in particular the proportion of diabetic patients (p-value .14) and body mass index (BMI) (p-value .60).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    To perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.
    Summary · context
    Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months.
  4. 04HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In meta-regression, body mass index did not influence the effect of semaglutide on atrial fibrillation.

    In plain wordsIn patients at high heart risk, body mass index did not change semaglutide's effect on atrial fibrillation.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeInfluence of body mass index on atrial fibrillation effect
    Study

    n = 12,651

    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · median follow-up of 68 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    p-value
    0.6
    body mass index

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In addition, meta-regression analyses did not show any potential influence of baseline study covariates, in particular the proportion of diabetic patients (p-value .14) and body mass index (BMI) (p-value .60).
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    To perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.
    Summary · context
    Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months.
  5. 05HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients at high cardiovascular risk, the pooled estimate for oral semaglutide versus placebo did not show a significant change in atrial fibrillation risk.

    In plain wordsIn patients at high heart risk, oral semaglutide alone did not show a clear change in atrial fibrillation risk compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    No significant changeIncident atrial fibrillation, oral semaglutide
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · oral · median follow-up of 68 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Relative risk
    0.53 ratio
    oral semaglutide

    Source sentences

    Summary
    oral: RR .53, 95% CI .23-1.24, I2 0%;
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    To perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.
    Summary · context
    Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months.
  6. 06HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients at high cardiovascular risk, subcutaneous semaglutide reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation compared with placebo.

    In plain wordsIn patients at high heart risk, injected semaglutide lowered the risk of atrial fibrillation compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Semaglutide
    Outcome
    DecreaseIncident atrial fibrillation, subcutaneous semaglutide
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Cardiovascular events · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · subcutaneous · median follow-up of 68 monthsAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Relative risk
    0.59 ratio
    subcutaneous semaglutide

    Source sentences

    Summary
    subcutaneous: RR .59, 95% CI .39-.91, I2 0%; p-value .83)
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    To perform a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to assess the risk of incident AF in patients treated with semaglutide compared to placebo.
    Summary · context
    Study population encompassed 12,651 patients (7285 in semaglutide and 5366 in placebo arms), with median follow-up of 68 months.

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

    9 Oct 2026, 18:17 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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