The Emerging Role of Injectable Weight Loss Medications in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Obesity is a multifactorial disease that represents a substantial global health concern. As of 2016, World Health Organization (WHO) estimates over 650 million adults are obese, whilst more than 1.9 billion are overweight. Surgical interventions or lifestyle changes are typically suggested to patients who experience comorbidities as a result of their weight; however, more recently, anti-diabetic medications have been proposed, specifically sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). This is the first systematic review to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and future role of SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1RAs for weight loss in the world of aesthetic plastic surgery. Sixteen randomized controlled trials were identified that met the eligibility criteria for this systematic review and comprised data from 10,492 patients. All studies reported a decline in body weight following treatment with SGLT-2 inhibitors or GLP-1RAs ranging from 1.5 to 5 kg. Although adverse events were reported in a large proportion of patients, primarily gastrointestinal manifestations, the literature reports that these were mild to moderate in severity and tended to subside following treatment adjustment. Future research is warranted to determine the ideal SGLT-2 inhibitor or GLP-1RAs for weight loss management, and additional RCTs are necessitated to determine the efficacy and tolerability of potential combination therapies with SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1RAs.