SynthesisEndocrine2018

The safety and efficacy of once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Xuejing Li, Suhui Qie, Xianying Wang, Yingying Zheng, Yang Liu, Guoqiang Liu

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Endocrine, 2018. The graph read 4 numbers from its abstract, feeding 2 cells of the map: it finds no clear difference in 2. Cited by 13 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

4numbers the graph read from it
2cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

← favours the comparatorfavours the treatment →
21 · no effect
Adverse events & safetyno clear difference · against placebo · t2dfeeds one cell of the map
RR 0.940.86 to 1.02p = 0.11
Semaglutide had a significant increase in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) [RR 1.06, 95% CI (1.02, 1.11), p < 0.0001] and an analogous incidence in serious adverse events (SAEs) [RR 0.94, 95% CI (0.86, 1.02), p = 0.11] and hypoglycaemic events (severe or blood glucose (BG)-confirmed symptomatic) [RR 0.93, 95% CI (0.74, 1.16), p = 0.50] compared with the control group.
Glycemic controlno clear difference · against placebo · t2dfeeds one cell of the map
RR 0.930.74 to 1.16p = 0.50
Semaglutide had a significant increase in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) [RR 1.06, 95% CI (1.02, 1.11), p < 0.0001] and an analogous incidence in serious adverse events (SAEs) [RR 0.94, 95% CI (0.86, 1.02), p = 0.11] and hypoglycaemic events (severe or blood glucose (BG)-confirmed symptomatic) [RR 0.93, 95% CI (0.74, 1.16), p = 0.50] compared with the control group.
Glycemic controlfavours the treatment · head-to-head · t2dfeeds one cell of the map
RR 2.261.89 to 2.70p < 0.00001
The results revealed that compared with placebo or other AHAs, semaglutide had further reduced the level of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) [MD 1.03%, 95% CI (0.85%, 1.22%), p < 0.00001], self-measured plasma glucose (SMPG) [MD 1.19 mmol/L, 95% CI (0.84 mmol/L, 1.53 mmol/L), p < 0.00001], fasting plasma glucose (FPG) [MD 1.33 mmol/L, 95% CI (0.97 mmol/L, 1.69 mmol/L), p < 0.00001] and weight [MD 3.61 kg, 95% CI (3.05 kg, 4.17 kg), p < 0.00001] and significantly increased participants who achieved HbA1c < 7.0% [RR 2.26, 95% CI (1.89, 2.70), p < 0.00001] in T2DM patients.
Adverse events & safetyfavours the comparator · against placebo · t2dfeeds one cell of the map
RR 1.061.02 to 1.11p < 0.0001
Semaglutide had a significant increase in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) [RR 1.06, 95% CI (1.02, 1.11), p < 0.0001] and an analogous incidence in serious adverse events (SAEs) [RR 0.94, 95% CI (0.86, 1.02), p = 0.11] and hypoglycaemic events (severe or blood glucose (BG)-confirmed symptomatic) [RR 0.93, 95% CI (0.74, 1.16), p = 0.50] compared with the control group.

clause the extractor read what became the number

2 · Its place on the map

Where it lands on the map

Rows are treatments, columns are outcomes. The coloured squares are the cells this paper feeds, coloured by the vote it casts there. Click one to jump to what this paper adds to it.

supports the treatmentfavours the comparatorno clear differenceread, but no usable result
3 · What it changes

What it adds to each cell

For every cell the paper feeds: the belief in the claim with and without this paper, and this paper's estimate drawn against every other readable study in the cell. The ringed dot is this paper.

GLP-1 receptor agonists×adverse events & safety

InconclusiveOpen on the map →What to test next →

40 readable studies in this cell: 45 favour the treatment, 14 find no difference, 2 favour the comparator.

Belief with this paper
0.00contested · 0 families support, 39 contradict · against placebo
Without itNot a counted family in this claim, so removing it changes nothing.
← favours the treatmentfavours the comparator →
0 · no effect
NCT017204463,297 enrolled · 2013
Δ -0.66-0.80 to -0.52
NCT036893742,274 enrolled · 2018
Δ -0.29-0.38 to -0.20
NCT013360231,663 enrolled · 2011
Treatment contrast -0.64-0.75 to -0.53
NCT040178321,441 enrolled · 2019
Δ -0.20-0.30 to -0.10
NCT018365231,398 enrolled · 2013
Δ -0.20-0.32 to -0.07
NCT019301881,231 enrolled · 2013
Δ -1.06-1.21 to -0.91
NCT007344741,202 enrolled · 2008
Δ -0.71-0.87 to -0.55
NCT008389031,049 enrolled · 2009
Δ -0.91-1.16 to -0.65
NCT009606611,036 enrolled · 2009
Δ -0.04-0.18 to 0.11
NCT050350821,018 enrolled · 2021
Δ -0.24-0.44 to -0.04
NCT01064687978 enrolled · 2010
Δ -1.05-1.22 to -0.88
NCT01117350978 enrolled · 2010
Δ 2.54-3.88 to 8.93

This paper's own estimate is on a different scale from the rest of the cell, so it is not drawn here.

GLP-1 receptor agonists×glycemic control

InconclusiveOpen on the map →What to test next →

40 readable studies in this cell: 89 favour the treatment, 16 find no difference, 10 favour the comparator.

Belief with this paper
0.90replicated · 63 families support, 7 contradict · against placebo
Without itNot a counted family in this claim, so removing it changes nothing.
← favours the treatmentfavours the comparator →
0 · no effect
NCT017204463,297 enrolled · 2013
Δ -0.66-0.80 to -0.52
NCT036893742,274 enrolled · 2018
Δ -0.29-0.38 to -0.20
NCT039879191,879 enrolled · 2019
Δ -0.51-0.64 to -0.38
NCT026078651,864 enrolled · 2016
Δ -0.50-0.60 to -0.40
NCT013360231,663 enrolled · 2011
Treatment contrast -0.64-0.75 to -0.53
NCT040178321,441 enrolled · 2019
Δ -0.20-0.30 to -0.10
NCT018365231,398 enrolled · 2013
Δ -0.20-0.32 to -0.07
NCT019301881,231 enrolled · 2013
Δ -1.06-1.21 to -0.91
NCT007344741,202 enrolled · 2008
Δ -0.71-0.87 to -0.55
NCT020581471,170 enrolled · 2014
Δ -0.29-0.38 to -0.19
NCT003184611,091 enrolled · 2006
Δ -1.09-1.30 to -0.88
NCT021289321,089 enrolled · 2014
Δ -0.81-0.96 to -0.67

This paper's own estimate is on a different scale from the rest of the cell, so it is not drawn here.

4 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

5 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Comparative effectiveness of semaglutideFrontiers in pharmacology · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
6 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

7 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Xuejing LiDepartment of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Qiaoxi District, 050051, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
Suhui QieDepartment of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Qiaoxi District, 050051, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
Xianying WangDepartment of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Qiaoxi District, 050051, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
Yingying ZhengDepartment of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Qiaoxi District, 050051, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
Yang LiuDepartment of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Qiaoxi District, 050051, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
Guoqiang LiuDepartment of Pharmacy, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 139 Ziqiang Road, Qiaoxi District, 050051, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China. liugq1223@sohu.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

8 · The paper itself

Abstract

The marked sentences are the ones the graph read a number from.

objectivesTo investigate the safety and efficacy of once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist semaglutide as monotherapy or add-on to other antihyperglycaemic agents (AHAs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

methodsPubMed, Embase, Cochrane library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from the inception to January 18, 2018. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing semaglutide with placebo or other AHAs in T2DM patients were included in our meta-analysis. Risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the outcomes.

resultsA total of 11 studies with 9519 patients were included in our meta-analysis. The results revealed that compared with placebo or other AHAs, semaglutide had further reduced the level of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) [MD 1.03%, 95% CI (0.85%, 1.22%), p < 0.00001], self-measured plasma glucose (SMPG) [MD 1.19 mmol/L, 95% CI (0.84 mmol/L, 1.53 mmol/L), p < 0.00001], fasting plasma glucose (FPG) [MD 1.33 mmol/L, 95% CI (0.97 mmol/L, 1.69 mmol/L), p < 0.00001] and weight [MD 3.61 kg, 95% CI (3.05 kg, 4.17 kg), p < 0.00001] and significantly increased participants who achieved HbA1c < 7.0% [RR 2.26, 95% CI (1.89, 2.70), p < 0.00001] in T2DM patients. Semaglutide had a significant increase in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) [RR 1.06, 95% CI (1.02, 1.11), p < 0.0001] and an analogous incidence in serious adverse events (SAEs) [RR 0.94, 95% CI (0.86, 1.02), p = 0.11] and hypoglycaemic events (severe or blood glucose (BG)-confirmed symptomatic) [RR 0.93, 95% CI (0.74, 1.16), p = 0.50] compared with the control group.

conclusionsThis article revealed that semaglutide had a favourable efficacy and safety in treating T2DM patients. It maybe a superior choice for T2DM patients who have obesity or a poor adherence to daily AHAs.

Indexed as

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsBlood GlucoseDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Glucagon-Like PeptidesGlycated HemoglobinHumansHypoglycemic AgentsSemaglutideTreatment OutcomeBlood GlucoseGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsGlucagon-Like PeptidesGlycated HemoglobinHypoglycemic AgentsSemaglutideEfficacyMeta-analysisSafetySemaglutideType 2 diabetes mellitus

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Texttitle and abstract
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.