title: Twelve-month treatment with Liraglutide ameliorates Visceral Adiposity Index and common cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes outpatients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In addition to the effects on glycemic control and body weight, GLP-1 receptor agonists may favorably affect other major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, although currently available data are still sparse. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the effects of 12-month treatment with liraglutide on major CVD risk factors in 115 type 2 diabetes outpatients (60 men and 55 women), on stable hypoglycemic, anti-hypertensive and/or lipid-lowering therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and anthropometric data, metabolic and lipid profile, as well as the Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI), an obesity-related CVD risk factor, were measured in all participants at baseline and after 12-month treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with liraglutide was associated with a significant reduction from baseline values of fasting blood glucose (-42.1 mg/dl, P < 0.05), HbA1c (-1.5 %, -17 mmol/mol, P < 0.05), body weight (-7.1 kg, P < 0.05), waist circumference (-6.8 cm, P < 0.001), total-cholesterol (-27.4 mg/dl, P < 0.05), LDL-cholesterol (-25.4 mg/dl, P < 0.05), triglycerides (-56.1 mg/dl, P < 0.05), and non-HDL-C (-36.6 mg/dl, P < 0.05) and an increase of HDL-cholesterol concentrations (+9.3 mg/dl, P < 0.001), a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (-14.7 mmHg, P < 0.001 and -9.0 mmHg, P < 0.05, respectively) and a decrease of VAI values (-1.6, P < 0.001). All these differences were independent of changes in BMI and comparable in men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, 12-month treatment with liraglutide in add-on to on-going hypoglycemic therapy significantly ameliorates all major CVD risk factors and reduces cardiometabolic risk, as estimated by VAI values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy. giuseppina.russo@unime.it.
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Labate
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giandalia
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villari
authors.affiliation: Department of Economical, Business and Environmental Sciences and Quantitative Methods, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibrandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perdichizzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98121, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cucinotta
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069450:Liraglutide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000069450:Liraglutide
keywords: Blood pressure; Lipids; Liraglutide; Type 2 diabetes; Visceral Adiposity Index