The effects of dexfenfluramine on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors in female patients with upper and lower body obesity.
BACKGROUND
Obesity has been identified as a risk factor for atherosclerosis, and fat distribution has proved to be a critical variable. Weight loss improves health, but failure rates in dietary treatment are high. The effects of dexfenfluramine, which is useful in many patients, were studied on cardiovascular risk factors in obese female patients with upper and lower body obesity.


METHODS
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, which was part of a multicentre study, 52 obese female patients (body mass index 35.1 +/- 7.8 kg/m2, age 43.3 +/- 6.4 years) were given either 15 mg dexfenfluramine twice daily, or placebo in addition to a calorie-restricted diet (1500 kcal/day) for 12 months. Forty-two patients (20 with upper body obesity, 12 dexfenfluramine and 10 placebo; 22 with lower body obesity, 16 dexfenfluramine and six placebo) completed the 14-month study.


RESULTS
Patients with upper body obesity lost 14.2 +/- 2.20 kg with dexfenfluramine, and 4.92 +/- 2.99 kg with placebo (P < or = 0.05). In contrast, patients with lower body obesity lost 11.1 +/- 2.89 kg with dexfenfluramine and 2.6 +/- 2.32 kg with placebo (P < 0.05). With dexfenfluramine, patients with upper body obesity lost more weight than patients with lower body obesity (P < 0.05). After 1 year of dexfenfluramine treatment, reduction of systolic blood pressure in patients with upper body obesity (157 +/- 10 versus 133 +/- 8 mmHg, P < 0.05) was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than in patients with lower body obesity (136 +/- 14 versus 127 +/- 12 mmHg). During dexfenfluramine treatment cardiovascular risk factors improved. In upper body obesity blood glucose (5.18 +/- 0.28 versus 4.40 +/- 0.34 mmol/l, P < 0.05), serum insulin (23.4 +/- 8.9 versus 13.2 +/- 4.2 microU/ml, P < 0.05) and triglycerides (1.96 +/- 0.45 versus 1.23 +/- 0.54 mmol/l, P < 0.05) decreased, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased (1.0 +/- 0.14 versus 1.21 +/- 0.14 mmol/l P < 0.05). In lower-body obesity, cardiovascular risk factors were in the normal range and did not change significantly during the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Dexfenfluramine lowers body weight in obese patients with upper and lower body obesity and reduces the cardiovascular risk factors clustering in upper body obesity.
Ditschuneit
H H
HH
Department of Medicine, University of Ulm, Germany.
Flechtner-Mors
M
M
Adler
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001067:Appetite Depressants; D005277:Fenfluramine