Evidence mapPaperPMID 41000573Full record

ArticleDigital health

GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy for obesity via direct-to-consumer telemedicine: Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Monika Gratzke, Johannes von Bueren, Edward Garrahy, Bart Calewaert, Finn Abeck, Christian Wuelfing

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

6 authors.

Monika GratzkeMunich, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8126-5883
Johannes von BuerenWellster Healthtech Group GmbH, Munich, Germany.
Edward GarrahyWellster Healthtech Group GmbH, Munich, Germany.
Bart CalewaertWellster Healthtech Group GmbH, Munich, Germany.
Finn AbeckDepartment of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7823-0736
Christian WuelfingWellster Healthtech Group GmbH, Munich, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the patient population using a DTC telemedicine platform for obesity treatment with liraglutide, evaluate treatment success and adherence, and assess the side effect profile using patient-reported outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using anonymized data from 966 patients who received liraglutide prescriptions through a DTC platform between August 2022 and April 2024. Patients completed an initial online questionnaire to assess eligibility, followed by a physician's review. A follow-up questionnaire was administered 50 days after the first prescription to evaluate outcomes, including weight loss, adverse events, and treatment satisfaction. Results: The majority of patients (70%) had long-standing obesity, with 46.6% having a BMI between 30 and 34.4 kg/m². Most (88.9%) were new to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists therapy. After 50 days, 85.6% of patients reported a weight loss of more than 2 kg, with an average loss of 4.9 kg. Adverse events were reported by 39.8% of patients, primarily gastrointestinal issues. Treatment adherence was high, with 94.1% following the prescribed regimen. Despite adverse events, 86.4% of patients expressed a desire to continue treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential effectiveness and accessibility of DTC telemedicine for obesity treatment using liraglutide, though gastrointestinal side effects were common. The findings support the use of DTC platforms for weight management, yet further research with longer follow-up and professional evaluation is necessary to confirm long-term safety and efficacy.

Indexed as

Direct-to-consumergeneralGLP-1liraglutideobesitytelehealthtelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID41000573
PMCPMC12457751

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.