Amid expectations that the popularity of GLP-1 drugs will decrease bariatric surgery rates, a Cleveland Clinic-led study found these surgeries might be more effective than GLP-1s for some patients.
Cleveland Clinic researchers analyzed chronic kidney disease progression and incident kidney failure data among 425 patients who either underwent metabolic surgery or continuously took GLP-1s for at least two years. All had Type 2 diabetes, obesity and stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease.
Compared to GLP-1s, metabolic surgery was associated with a 60% lower risk of kidney disease progression and a 44% lower risk of kidney failure or death.
"The study participants who underwent bariatric surgery experienced more weight loss and better control of their diabetes," a Sept. 20 news release from Cleveland Clinic said. "They also required less medication to control their diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol."
The results were recently published in Annals of Surgery.
Another study, which did not compare GLP-1s to bariatric surgery, showed that Ozempic and Wegovy slowed the growth of chronic kidney disease and reduced the risk of heart attack, kidney failure, stroke and death. Read more here.