Liraglutide pharmacokinetics and exposure-response in adolescents with obesity

Drug dosing in children with obesity: a narrative updated review

Childhood obesity and its associated comorbidities are highly prevalent diseases that may add to any other possible health problem commonly affecting the pediatric age. Uncertainties may arise concerning drug dosing when children with obesity need pharmacologic therapies. In general, in pediatric practice, there is a tendency to adapt drug doses to a child’s total body weight. However, this method does not consider the pharmacological impact that a specific drug can have under a two-fold point of view, that is, across various age and size groups as well. Moreover, there is a need for a therapeutic approach, as much as possible tailored considering relevant interacting aspects, such as modification in metabolomic profile, drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Taking into account the peculiar differences between children with overweight/obesity and those who are normal weight, the drug dosage in the case of obesity, cannot be empirically determined solely by the per kg criterion. In this narrative review, we examine the pros and cons of several drug dosing methods used when dealing with children who are affected also by obesity, focusing on specific aspects of some of the drugs most frequently prescribed in real-world practice by general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: 25 Years Developing the GLP-1 Receptor as an Effective Target for Weight Loss

Recent evidence from clinical trials supports the efficacy and tolerability of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists as useful agents for weight loss. Although originally developed as glucose lowering agents for people with type 2 diabetes, progress in research over the last 3 decades has demonstrated that GLP-1 receptor agonists act in the central nervous system to reduce food intake. This minireview summarizes key aspects of GLP-1 biology and the clinical studies supporting the utility of the GLP-1 receptor signaling system as a therapeutic target for weight loss.