Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39591946›Full record

ArticleObesity facts2025

Socioeconomic and Demographic Inequalities in Off-Label Prescription of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists: A Swedish Descriptive Cohort Study.

Laura Pazzagli, Ylva Trolle Lagerros

Abstract read
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Article in Obesity facts, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Laura PazzagliClinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Ylva Trolle LagerrosClinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn Sweden, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are subsidized for diabetes indication but not for obesity. Unregulated off-label prescription of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity treatment may raise concerns about potential inequalities for both patient groups. This study aimed to describe socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of on- and off-label users of GLP-1 receptor agonists in persons without a diagnosis of diabetes.

methodsThis is a Swedish descriptive register-based cohort study of persons who filled a prescription of a GLP-1 receptor agonist at least once during 2018-2022. Individuals were excluded from the study population if they had a diagnosis of diabetes or previous prescription fills of insulin/analogs at any time prior to the first filled prescription of a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were described overall and stratified by sex and prior use of anti-obesity medications. Off-label use was defined by filled prescriptions of GLP-1 receptor agonists which are indicated for diabetes treatment.

resultsThe study population included 16,436 individuals, of which 70.1% were women, 30.7% had previously filled a prescription of anti-obesity medications, and 65.3% had Sweden as country of origin and 17.2% an Asian country. In the analyses stratified by sex, women were more likely to have an education longer than 9 years (84.8% vs. 78.3% in men). Nonetheless, women had lower annual individual (2,891.3 vs. 4,004.9 in men) and family disposable income (5,645.5 vs. 6,092.5 in men). Overall, on-label prescription was higher in women (49.2% vs. 30.9% in men), while off-label was more common among men (69% vs. 51% in women). Trends of GLP-1 users per 1,000 inhabitants showed four-fold variation between counties.

conclusionHigh family disposable income and male sex are common among off-label GLP-1 receptor agonist users compared to users of the only on-label GLP-1 receptor agonist available in Sweden during the study period. Large variation between counties indicates different clinical practices and guideline interpretations.

Indexed as

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsHealthcare DisparitiesHypoglycemic AgentsObesityOff-Label UseSocioeconomic FactorsAdultAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesSwedenGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsHypoglycemic AgentsAnti-obesity agentsDiabetes mellitusGlucagon-like peptide-1Health inequitiesObesityOff-label useType 2

Identifiers

PMID39591946
PMCPMC12017747

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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.