TOPLINE

Patients with rheumatic diseases who used GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs) experienced sustained weight loss and improved glycaemic and lipid measures, and inflammatory markers also declined among those with chronic inflammatory arthritis.

METHODOLOGY

• Researchers conducted a retrospective, real-world cohort study at a Spanish rheumatology centre between October 2024 and 2025 to evaluate the metabolic effectiveness, inflammatory signal, and safety of GLP-1 RAs in rheumatology outpatients.
• Of 169 patients receiving GLP-1 RA therapy, 119 met the eligibility criteria for effectiveness analyses (mean age, 62.2 years; 61.3% women), which included at least 3 months of treatment exposure, at least 60% treatment adherence, and at least two weight or laboratory assessments during the first year.
• The researchers assessed changes in weight, BMI, levels of A1c and fasting glucose, lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers at 3, 6, and 12 months, along with adverse events and treatment discontinuation.
• A subgroup comparison was performed between patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis (n = 46) and those with non-inflammatory or mechanical disease (n = 43).
• The median follow-up duration was 19 months.

TAKEAWAY

• GLP-1 RA treatment was associated with a sustained weight loss of 4.0, 4.5, and 7.7 kg at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively (P < .001 for all); 56.5% of patients improved by at least one BMI category.
• A1c levels decreased by 0.97%, 0.69%, and 0.91% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, and fasting glucose levels decreased by 14.4, 20.5, and 24.8 mg/dL at the same timepoints (P < .001 for all). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased by 12.2 mg/dL at 3 months, and triglyceride levels decreased by 21.7 mg/dL at 6 months (P < .01 for both).At 12 months, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreased significantly (P = .023), and C-reactive protein levels showed a non-significant decline. Both markers declined significantly in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis (P < .05 for both).
• Adverse events were mainly gastrointestinal (13.4%). Discontinuation due to adverse events occurred in 6.7% of patients; one death owing to mesenteric ischaemia occurred in a man with multiple cardiovascular risk factors.

IN PRACTICE

"This study adds real-world evidence on the use of GLP-1 RAs in rheumatology practice, showing meaningful metabolic benefit together with a possible inflammatory signal," the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE

The study was led by Miriam Retuerto-Guerrero, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, León, Spain. It was published online on August 25, 2026, as a short report in RMD Open.

LIMITATIONS

The study was retrospective and conducted at a single centre. The sample size was modest. The study involved diagnostic heterogeneity and lacked standardised measures of disease activity.

DISCLOSURES

No specific funding was reported for this study. The authors did not declare any competing interests.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.