A pilot randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg for binge eating disorder

• Published in: Obesity science & practice 2023-04, Vol.9 (2), p.127-136
• Main Authors: Allison, Kelly C., Chao, Ariana M., Bruzas, Maija B., McCuen‐Wurst, Courtney, Jones, Elizabeth, McAllister, Cooper, Gruber, Kathryn, Berkowitz, Robert I., Wadden, Thomas A., Tronieri, Jena S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agonists; Behavior; Binge eating; binge eating disorder; binge episodes; Blood pressure; Body mass index; Body weight loss; Bulimia; Cognition & reasoning; Diabetes; Diet; Drug dosages; eating disorder; Eating disorders; FDA approval; Glucagon; Glucagon-like peptide 1; Hypertension; Intervention; liraglutide; loss of control eating; Original; Placebos; Quality of life; Remission; Remission (Medicine); Suicides & suicide attempts; Weight control; weight loss medication
• ISSN: 2055-2238; 2055-2238
• DOI: 10.1002/osp4.619

Objective To assess the efficacy of liraglutide 3.0 mg, a glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonist, for binge eating disorder (BED). Methods Adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2 enrolled in a pilot, 17‐week double‐blind, randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg/day for BED. The primary outcome was number of objective binge episodes (OBEs)/week. Binge remission, weight change, and psychosocial variables were secondary outcomes. Mixed effect models were used for continuous variables, and generalized estimating equations were used for remission rates. Results Participants (n = 27) were 44.2 ± 10.6 years; BMI = 37.9 ± 11.8 kg/m2; 63% women; and 59% White and 41% Black. At baseline, the liraglutide group (n = 13) reported 4.7 ± 0.7 OBEs/week, compared with 3.0 ± 0.7 OBEs/week for the placebo group, p = 0.07. At week 17, OBEs/week decreased by 4.0 ± 0.6 in liraglutide participants and by 2.5 ± 0.5 in placebo participants (p = 0.37, mean difference = 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.3, 2.0). BED remission rates of 44% and 36%, respectively, did not differ. Percent weight loss was significantly greater in the liraglutide versus the placebo group (5.2 ± 1.0% vs. 0.9 ± 0.7%, p = 0.005). Conclusion Participants in both groups reported reductions in OBEs, with the liraglutide group showing clinically meaningful weight loss. A pharmacy medication dispensing error was a significant limitation of this study. Further research on liraglutide and other GLP‐1 agonists for BED is warranted.