Weight and body composition outcomes with liraglutide in individuals with well-treated hypothyroidism: A retrospective case-control study.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Retrospective matched case-control study
PubMed 40934243 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0332091
What was done
A retrospective case-control study evaluated adults with overweight or obesity treated with liraglutide between 2017 and 2022 at an academic weight management center. Fifty-three patients with hypothyroidism on stable levothyroxine therapy were compared with 145 age-, gender-, and BMI-matched controls without thyroid disease. Primary outcomes evaluated over a mean follow-up of 10 months were percentage weight change, categorical weight loss thresholds (≥5%), and body composition changes assessed by bioelectrical impedance.
What was found
After a mean follow-up of 10 months, percent weight change was similar between the hypothyroidism group and controls (-10.8% vs. -8.9%, P = 0.940). The proportion of weight reduction from fat-free mass was also similar (29.9% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.729). A similar proportion achieved ≥5% weight loss (79.2% vs. 71.0%, P = 0.248). Baseline normal-range TSH levels did not correlate with weight loss outcomes. Baseline metformin use was associated with greater weight loss in univariate analysis (P = 0.042) but was not significant in multivariate models.
Why it matters
These findings suggest that patients with well-controlled hypothyroidism on levothyroxine respond to liraglutide as effectively as individuals without thyroid disease, reassuring clinicians managing weight in this population.
Limits
The study is limited by its retrospective design, single academic center setting, and modest sample size (53 cases). Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance rather than dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Findings only apply to individuals with well-treated, stable hypothyroidism and cannot be generalized to uncontrolled or untreated thyroid disease.
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