Table 2. Data from meta-analyses of the anti-obesity drugs approved for long-term use for weight loss .
| Drug | Study (duration ≥1 year) | Subject (drug/placebo) | Lifestyle intervention (diet/exercise/behavior) | Weighted mean difference (kg) (95% CI) for the drug-to-placebo comparison at 1 year | % weight loss (drug/placebo) | Odds ratio (95% CrI) for achieving ≥5% weight loss | % of patients with ≥5% weight loss at 1 year (drug/placebo) | % of patients with ≥10% weight loss at 1 year (drug/placebo) | Odds ratio (95% CrI) for discontinuation due to adverse event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlistat | 17 trials | 5,572/5,572 | Reduced fat intake or 500–800 kcal deficit/non-specific increase or 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day/yes or no | 2.60 (2.16–3.04) | 4.6/1.7 | 2.70 (2.34–3.09) | 48.8/22.6 | 17.9/8.8 | 1.84 (1.53–2.21) |
| Phentermine/topiramate | 3 trials | 1,802/1,735 | 500 kcal deficit/non-specific increase/yes | 8.80 (7.42–10.2) | 8.5/1.7 | 9.22 (6.63–12.85) | 72.0/22.8 | 49.7/8.6 | 2.29 (1.71–3.06) |
| Naltrexone/ bupropion | 5 trials | 6,963/5,897 | 500 kcal deficit/non-specific increase or 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day/yes | 4.95 (3.96–5.94) | 6.1/2.1 | 3.96 (3.03–5.11) | 52.4/28.3 | 28.3/9.7 | 2.64 (2.10–3.35) |
| Liraglutide | 4 trials | 3,096/1,649 | 500 kcal deficit/minimum 150 minutes of brisk walking per week/yes | 5.27 (4.52–6.06) | 7.1/1.7 | 5.54 (4.16–7.78) | 60.3/24.6 | 30.4/8.4 | 2.95 (2.11–4.23) |
| Lorcaserina | 4 trials | 9,453/9,440 | 600 kcal deficit/30 minutes of moderate exercise per day/yes | 3.22 (2.46–3.97) | 5.1/2.0 | 3.10 (2.38–4.05) | 42.7/19.7 | 19.0/6.7 | 1.34 (1.05–1.76) |
CI: confidence interval, CrI: credible interval.
aWithdrawn from the market for safety issue related to an increased cancer incidence in February 2020.