ReviewEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2026
Can glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists affect outcomes after spine surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeTo evaluate the association between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) use and perioperative, postoperative and fusion-related outcomes following spine surgery.
methodsA systematic search of PubMed/ MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library was conducted from inception through December 2025 in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Comparative studies evaluating outcomes of spine surgery in patients exposed to GLP-1RAs versus non-users were included. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed for perioperative outcomes, medical and surgical complications, reoperation and fusion-related outcomes. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on diabetes status, fusion levels and duration of follow-up.
resultsTwenty comparative studies with 546,668 patients were included in the analysis. GLP-1RA use was not associated with significant differences in perioperative or postoperative outcomes, including transfusion [log odds ratio (OR)=-0.25,95% CI:-0.67,0.17), operative time [mean difference (MD)=-5.3 min,95% CI:-23.9,13.3)], length of stay (MD=-0.19days,95% CI:-1.35,0.96), surgical site infection (logOR = 0.29,95% CI:-0.08,0.66), venous thromboembolism (logOR = 0.19,95% CI:-0.25,0.63), readmission (logOR = 0.31,95% CI:-0.07,0.69), reoperation (logOR = 0.12,95% CI:-0.17,0.42), or implant failure. In contrast, GLP-1RA use was associated with higher fusion success (logOR = 0.42,95% CI:0.33,0.51;p < 0.001), consistent across follow-up intervals.
conclusionIn the available observational literature, GLP-1RA use is not associated with increased perioperative complications following spine surgery and may be related to improved fusion outcomes. These findings provide reassurance regarding perioperative safety and suggest a potential long-term benefit in arthrodesis, although prospective studies are needed to confirm causality and define optimal perioperative management strategies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42471496What Socratic holds
Registered trials
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.