Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42570103›Full record

SynthesisEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2026

Impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dave Osinachukwu Duru, David Kwan Ryung Lee, Chloe Edmonds, Aron Abraham, Younis Peach, Philip K Louie

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
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In one paragraph

Synthesis in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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.

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

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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

6 authors.

Dave Osinachukwu DuruSchool of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. dd614@cam.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8396-6146
David Kwan Ryung LeeSchool of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Chloe EdmondsSchool of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Aron AbrahamImperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Younis PeachImperial College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Philip K LouieCenter for Neurosciences and Spine, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveGlucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are increasingly prescribed for type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. Their metabolic, anti-inflammatory, and osteogenic effects raise important questions regarding their influence on spinal fusion. To date, no systematic review has specifically investigated how GLP-1RAs influence outcomes following the common anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). This study aimed to evaluate the association between perioperative GLP-1RA use and outcomes following ACDF.

methodsFollowing PRISMA guidelines, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to February 2026 for studies evaluating GLP-1RA exposure in the context of ACDF. Eligible studies included human observational cohort studies. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers.

resultsEight retrospective cohort studies analysing 311,402 ACDF patients were included, of whom 8,182 were GLP-1RA users matched to non-users. Random-effects meta-analysis demonstrated significantly lower odds of pseudarthrosis among GLP-1RA users at 6 months (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.52 to 0.71; I² = 16.6%), 12 months (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.73; I² = 39.1%), and 24 months (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.79; I² = 34.9%). Findings for reoperation, dysphagia, deep vein thrombosis, and readmission were heterogeneous and inconsistent across studies.

conclusionPerioperative GLP-1RA use was associated with lower odds of pseudarthrosis. However, evidence regarding other postoperative complications remains inconclusive. Future prospective studies are required to further elucidate the impact of GLP-1RA use on ACDF outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Indexed as

DiskectomyGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsPostoperative ComplicationsSpinal FusionCervical VertebraeDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2HumansTreatment OutcomeGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsAnterior cervical discectomy and fusionComplicationsGLP-1Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonistObesityPseudarthrosisSpine surgeryType-2 diabetes mellitus

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Registered trials

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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.