'For me, it didn't seem as drastic a step as being controlled by insulin': A qualitative investigation of expectations and experiences of non-insulin injectable therapy among adults with type 2 diabetes

Patients' experiences with GLP1-RAs - a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a complex condition and a recognized public health challenge. Previous treatment options were associated with high failure rates, but recent trials have shown that significant weight loss can be achieved with GLP1-RAs. However, little is known about the patient's experiences with GLP1-RAs.

OBJECTIVES

This paper systematically reviews research on patients' experience with GLP1-RAs.

METHODS

A literature search in PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and Sociological Abstracts included studies on adults' experiences with GLP1-RAs, regardless of methodology. Exclusions of studies: mental illness, pregnancy, former bariatric surgery, PCOS. Study quality and transparency were assessed according to design, using thematic analysis for synthesis.

RESULTS

Nine studies, selected from 7,607 records, encompassed three qualitative studies (semi-structured interviews), three RCTs, two narrative reviews and one survey study. The analysis identified five key themes: (1) Patients are willing to accept adverse events, like gastrointestinal disorders, for successful weight loss, (2) Patients experience improved physical functioning, well-being, and active daily living as a result of weight loss, (3) Patients express diverse opinions and skills regarding the medication's usability, (4) Patients believe that the medication improves their ability to manage sweet cravings, (5) Gender seems to affect patients' experiences with the medication, with females reporting more benefits than males.

CONCLUSION

Despite a huge demand and usage of GLP1-RAs, qualitative research on patients' experiences is scarce. Further studies are crucial for understanding short and long-term patient experiences.

What Are the Experiences, Views and Perceptions of Patients, Carers and Clinicians of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAs)? A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are a pharmacological treatment option for both diabetes and weight loss. Qualitative evidence is vital in providing greater understanding of patients, practitioners and carers experience of taking or delivering GLP-1 RAs. This evidence can inform the current or future configuration and delivery of services. We conducted a scoping review to better understand the quantity, nature and key characteristics of qualitative primary evidence which explores the experiences, views and perceptions of patients, carers and clinicians regarding the use of GLP-1 RAs.

METHODS

Four bibliographic databases were searched on 10 July 2024: MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo via Ovid, CINAHL Ultimate via EBSCOhost, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global via ProQuest. We also searched Google Scholar, two clinical trials registries, the pre-print server medRxiv and conducted citation searches. We sought qualitative research about the experiences of patients, carers and practitioners about any aspect of taking or prescribing GLP-1RAs, for any indication. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. The included studies were collated, and their characteristics were described.

RESULTS

After de-duplication 1545 titles and abstracts were screened for relevance, with 77 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, resulting in 25 included studies. More studies were focused on type 2 diabetes (n = 12) than weight loss (n = 9) or any indication (n = 4). The experiences of carers were not represented. No one area of experience (e.g. different indications or viewpoints) was well represented, either due to the absence or narrow focus of studies or lack of an in-depth analytical approach.

CONCLUSION

Whilst primary qualitative evidence exploring patient and clinician experience of GLP-1 RAs was identified in this scoping review, the findings highlight a need for more robust qualitative research to be conducted across all user groups, in particular involving carers, and especially for the indication of weight loss within service settings. This evidence gap needs to be urgently addressed to ensure GLP-1 RAs are appropriately prescribed and patients and carers receive support from services suited to their needs.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Seventeen public collaborators contributed to the search by suggesting additional search terms, helping define the population for inclusion and contributing to protocol development. Their thoughts on the findings of the review helped form the basis for the discussion of this paper.

Outcomes and Attributes Patients Value When Choosing Glucose-Lowering Medications: A Mixed-Methods Study

This mixed-methods study sought to identify pharmacotherapy preferences among 40 noninsulin-treated adults with type 2 diabetes receiving care at two U.S. health care systems. Participants ranked by relative importance various health outcomes and medication attributes and then contextualized their rankings. Most participants ranked blindness (63%), death (60%), heart attack (48%), and heart failure (48%) as the most important health outcomes and glucose-lowering efficacy (68%) as the most important medication attribute, followed by oral administration (45%) and lack of gastrointestinal side effects (38%).

The protective effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and RAAS blockers against renal injury in patients with type 2 diabetes

Diabetic kidney disease is one of the most severe complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients with diabetic kidney disease have a worse prognosis in terms of mortality and morbidity, compared with patients who have diabetes alone. Strict control of blood pressure and blood glucose is the primary method for prevention of initial kidney damage and delaying further progression of existing damage. Other management approaches include the use of exogenous drugs that can effectively protect the kidneys from diabetes, such as sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers. These drugs may protect against kidney injury through various molecular mechanisms. This review focuses on renal impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes; it discusses the direct and indirect effects of sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers on diabetic kidney disease. Finally, it discusses the effects of combination treatment with two or three types of drugs in patients with chronic kidney disease.