Work

Persistently low initiation of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight management in individuals without diabetes in Poland: a major unmet need

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The advent of highly effective glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) offers transformative potential for obesity management [1][2][3].While US studies have highlighted vast eligibility [4] and noted low but increasing initiation rates of anti-obesity medications (1.8%) with significant access disparities [5,6], the situation in healthcare systems with substantial out-of-pocket costs warrants specific examination.In Poland, GLP-1 RAs are approved for adults with obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m²) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity) but remain unreimbursed by the National Health Fund for weight management indications.This study aimed to quantify temporal trends in GLP-1 RA initiation rates specifically for weight management among eligible adults without diabetes within a large Polish private healthcare network, examining uptake patterns and estimating the national burden of the unmet need in this challenging financial landscape.Methods.We conducted a descriptive, retrospective analysis of electronic medical records from LUX MED [7, 8], a major private healthcare provider in Poland, spanning January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2024.We included all new adult patients (≥ 18 years) with a recorded BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² and no diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus.Eligibility for GLP-1 RA therapy for weight management was defined as: (1) BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², or (2) BMI 27-29.9kg/m² with at least one documented weight-related comorbidity (arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia, or sleep apnea).We extracted baseline demographic and clinical characteristics.Analyses were restricted to 'new patients', defined as individuals with their first recorded Luxmed encounter during the study period.This criterion ensured consistent capture of baseline BMI, comorbidity, and prescription data from the start of each patient's record and reduced misclassification of prior

Source: Archives of Medical Science

DOI: 10.5114/aoms/209719

Authors: Artur Dziewierz, Renata Rajtar-Salwa, Lukasz Szarpak, Aleksandra Sojda, Zbigniew Siudak

Institutions: Jagiellonian University, Szpital Uniwersytecki w Krakowie, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Baylor College of Medicine, Jan Kochanowski University

Language: English

Topic: Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment

Subfield: Pharmacology (medical)

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,078