Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40335111›Full record

ArticleSaudi medical journal2025

Clinical studies on anti-obesity medications in Arab countries.

Haifa F AlOtaibi, Hanan N Al Taib, Shadan AlMuhaidib, Saud Alshagrawi, Abdulmalik Almufarrih, Ola Alalmai, Sahar Alnaserallah, Najla Alodah, Saleh A Alqahtani, Waleed Alhazzani

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In one paragraph

Article in Saudi medical journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Haifa F AlOtaibiFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2266-7394
Hanan N Al TaibFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Shadan AlMuhaidibFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Saud AlshagrawiFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Abdulmalik AlmufarrihFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Ola AlalmaiFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Sahar AlnaserallahFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Najla AlodahFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Saleh A AlqahtaniFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.
Waleed AlhazzaniFrom the Health Research Center (AlOtaibi, Alnaserallah, Alhazzani), Ministry of Defense Health Services, from the Department of Family Medicine (Al Taib, Alshagrawi, Alalmai, Alodah), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, from the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing (AlMuhaidib); from the Organ Transplant Center of Excellence (Alqahtani), Liver, Digestive, and Lifestyle Health Research Section, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, from the Medical Cities Program (Almufarrih), Ministry of Interior, from the College of Medicine (Alhazzani), King Saud University, Riyadh, from the Department of Critical Care and Internal Medicine (Alhazzani), College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and from the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Alqahtani), Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, the United States of America.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo identify and summarize studies carried out in Arab countries on anti-obesity medications (AOMs), with a focus on the types of medications investigated, study designs, and the efficacy/effectiveness and safety metrics reported.

methodsWe carried out a comprehensive scoping review of primary studies examining the use of AOMs in adult Arab populations. Five databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Index Medicus for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and e-Marefa) were searched for English-language publications up to October 2024. Data extraction was carried out on study characteristics, participant demographics, interventions, and outcomes related to weight reduction, metabolic parameters, and side effects. The risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for non-randomized studies and a modified RoB tool for randomized controlled trials.

resultsA total of 59 clinical studies published between 2014-2024 were included. The majority (89.8%) were observational in design. Most studies were carried out in Saudi Arabia (40.7%) and the United Arab Emirates (20.3%). Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists were investigated in 72.9% of the studies, with liraglutide being the most frequently studied agent (54.2%). The most commonly reported efficacy outcomes included changes in total body weight (45.8%), body mass index (39.0%), and the proportion of weight loss (28.8%). Gastrointestinal side effects were reported in 32.2% of patients across studies.

conclusionDespite the growing body of research on AOMs in Arab countries, most studies remain observational and focus primarily on earlier-generation agents. There is a need for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of newer AOMs, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, within Arab populations to inform culturally and genetically tailored obesity management strategies.

Indexed as

Anti-Obesity AgentsObesityAdultGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsHumansLiraglutideMiddle EastSaudi ArabiaWeight LossAnti-Obesity AgentsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsLiraglutideanti-obesity medicationarab countriesobesityscoping review

Identifiers

PMID40335111
PMCPMC12074045

What Socratic holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.