Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT2272

Introduction: Obesity is a chronic and relapsing disease that has been increasing in prevalence in the last decades. Two new drugs become available in Italy in the past year (July for Semaglutide and October for Tirzepatide) for the treatment of this condition. In clinical trials these molecules showed very promising efficacy and tolerability. However, clinical practice differs from clinical trials, especially when it comes to drugs that have a significant cost for the patient. As of today, no data exist on efficacy, tolerability and adherence of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide treatment in the Italian population.

Aim: To phenotype the patients that are willing to start a treatment with anti-obesity medication (Semaglutide or Tirzepatide) and follow them up to evaluate efficacy, tolerability and adherence to these molecules.

Methods: We collected anamnesis (including occupation), anthropometric measures, presence of obesity related comorbidities in 73 patients that were willing to start pharmacological treatment for obesity in our Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes Prevention and Care. Afterwards the pharmacological treatment was initiated and at 3-month follow-up was performed registering patients’ weight, Hunger and Satiety VAS scales.

Results: The mean age was 51.9 years, the mean BMI 37.90 kg/m² and most patients were female 79% (n = 57). The most prevalent comorbidity was dyslipidemia, followed by hypertension and prediabetes. These were present respectively in 49,44 and 30% of the population. Even if these complications were common, end organ damage defined as myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and kidney failure were rare (3% of the population). Analyzing the net income of our patients we were able to divide the population into three categories: below 20.000 C= /year, between 20.000-30.000 C= /year and more than 30.000 C= /year. Almost all the population fit in the first and second categories (respectively 24 and 32 patients). When we performed the analysis, 37 patients reached the 3-month follow-up, with 3 patients that suspended the drug or did not start the therapy at all. Of the 34 patients still in therapy the average weight loss was 5%. Furthermore, the “hunger” scale was significantly reduced after 3 months, and the “satiety” scale was significantly increased.

Conclusions: Our study shows that, in a classic endocrinological setting, the population that starts Semaglutide or Tirzepatide is young, with multiple comorbidities but very few end organ damage. Furthermore, these drugs seem safe and effective also in clinical practice and used not only by the people of the highest socioeconomical status but by a heterogeneous population.