Semaglutide vs. dulaglutide for glycemic and weight control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of semaglutide and dulaglutide for glycemic control and weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A thorough literature search was conducted using several databases from inception until the end of July 2024. The primary outcome was the difference in glycated hemoglobin levels from the initial measurement between the groups. By contrast, the secondary outcome was the effect of the medications on body weight loss (change in body weight from baseline) during the treatment period. Appropriate statistical tests were employed to reach study endpoints. The results showed no statistically significant difference in glycemic control achievement between the two medications in patients with T2DM. Semaglutide demonstrated higher efficacy in inducing weight loss; however, sensitivity analysis indicated that the weight loss efficacy results should be interpreted cautiously. The study acknowledges the high heterogeneity and low quality among the studies included in the meta-analysis and the potential impact of individual studies on the outcome. Despite these limitations, the findings suggested that semaglutide may be a more favorable treatment option for patients with T2DM requiring weight management and glycemic control. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term benefits of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and individual factors that may influence treatment response and outcomes.