Addition of orlistat benefits obese patients with T2DM

(HealthDay)—In overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), treatment with orlistat in addition to lifestyle modifications improves outcomes, according to research published online Sept. 8 in Obesity Reviews.

N.M. Aldekhail, of the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of orlistat in participants with a body mass index of 25 kg/m² or higher who were diagnosed with T2D. A meta-analysis was performed on the data from 12 studies to examine the effects of orlistat on glycemic control.

The researchers found that the overall mean weight reduction at three, six, and 12 months in the orlistat group was −4.25 kg. The mean weight difference between the orlistat group and the control group was −2.1 kg, the mean HbA1c difference was −6.12 mmol mol⁻¹, and the mean fasting blood glucose difference was −1.16 mmol L⁻¹.

"Treatment with orlistat plus lifestyle intervention resulted in significantly greater weight loss and improved glycemic control in overweight and obese patients with type 2 diabetes compared with lifestyle intervention alone," the authors write.