Evidence mapPaperPMID 41350683Full record

SynthesisAddiction science & clinical practice2025

The effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) on alcohol-related outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Binayak Sinha, Samit Ghosal

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Addiction science & clinical practice, 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. Review
  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

2 authors.

Binayak SinhaDepartment of Endocrinology, Manipal Hospital, Kolkata, India.
Samit GhosalDepartment of Internal Medicine, Nightingale Hospital, Kolkata, India. ramdasghosal@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) on alcohol-related outcomes in adults with or without alcohol use disorder (AUD).

methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to May 3, 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies assessing GLP-1RAs (e.g., Semaglutide, Liraglutide, Exenatide, and Dulaglutide) versus placebo, no treatment, or other interventions in adults. Outcomes were alcohol consumption (defined as total intake or drinks per drinking day, measured as standardised mean difference [SMD]), alcohol craving (SMD), and alcohol-related events (hazard ratio [HR]). Random-effects models with Restricted Maximum Likelihood estimation and Hartung-Knapp adjustment were used. Separate AUD and SUD meta-analyses addressed outcome heterogeneity, with intoxication reported narratively.

resultsThree RCTs (N = 430) and six observational studies (N = 2,740,207) were included. RCTs showed non-significant reductions in alcohol consumption (SMD: -0.24, 95% CI: -0.70, 0.23), drinks per drinking day (SMD: -0.23, 95% CI: -0.64, 0.19), and craving (SMD: -0.14, 95% CI: -2.84, 2.55), with Semaglutide showing greater craving reduction (p = 0.024). Observational studies showed reduced alcohol-related events (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.59-0.69, p < 0.001), with separate analyses confirming effects for AUD (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.63-0.70) and SUD (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.18-2.48), and intoxication (HR: 0.50). Semaglutide and GIP/GLP-1RAs had more potent effects (p < 0.001).

conclusionObservational studies suggest a decrease in alcohol-related events, but RCTs have effects on alcohol consumption and craving that remain non-significant. Larger RCTs are needed. PROSPERO ID: CRD420251045294.

Indexed as

Alcohol DrinkingAlcoholismGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsAdultCravingExenatideGlucagon-Like Peptide 1Glucagon-Like PeptidesHumansImmunoglobulin Fc FragmentsLiraglutideRecombinant Fusion ProteinsSemaglutidedulaglutideExenatideGlucagon-Like Peptide 1Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsGlucagon-Like PeptidesImmunoglobulin Fc FragmentsLiraglutideRecombinant Fusion ProteinsSemaglutideAlcohol consumptionAlcohol-related eventsAlcohol use disorderGlucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonistsMeta-analysisSemaglutideSystematic reviewTirzepatide

Identifiers

PMID41350683
PMCPMC12805745

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.