Impact of GLP-1 Agonists on Post-Operative Outcomes in Aesthetic & Body Contouring Surgery: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
- Design
- Meta-analysis · 29357 participants · Hard outcome
- Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
- Population unclearUNKNOWN: the abstract does not report age, BMI or diabetes status for the 29,357 pooled surgical patients.
- Could weight loss explain it?
- PossiblyPossibly: the abstract does not examine whether weight loss, reduced intake or nutritional status explains the wound-healing findings, so they are not separated from a drug effect.
- Study tier
- Study tier 3LOW: a meta-analysis of observational studies; the abstract reports the direction of results only, with no risk ratios or confidence intervals.
- Assessment
- Version 3 · Two reviewers differed; settled by a recorded ruling · Oct 19, 2026
Study facts come from the paper. Population match, weight-loss explanation and study tier are our judgments, made against the reference group of healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75.
This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled twelve studies (29,357 patients) of people having aesthetic or body-contouring surgery with and without GLP-1 receptor agonist exposure. In the pooled observational analyses, GLP-1 drug use was linked to more delayed wound healing and hypertrophic scarring, while seroma was less common than in people who had earlier had bariatric surgery. The abstract gives no effect sizes and no results for infection, wound breakdown, haematoma or blood clots, and these associations do not show cause.
01Findings
What the study reported
- Drugs
- Glp-1 receptor agonists
- Dose
- various
- Comparator
- patients without GLP-1 RA exposure; in a subgroup analysis, patients who had previously undergone bariatric surgery
- Primary outcome
- postoperative infection, wound dehiscence, delayed wound healing, hypertrophic scarring, seroma, hematoma and venous thromboembolism
- Effect
- Pooled observational analyses: GLP-1 RA exposure associated with increased risk of delayed wound healing and hypertrophic scarring; lower seroma rates than in patients with prior bariatric surgery (subgroup); no risk ratios, and no results for infection, dehiscence, hematoma or VTE, given in the abstract
- 95% confidence interval
- not reported in abstract
- Follow-up
- Not stated
- Adverse events
- Higher risk of delayed wound healing and hypertrophic scarring with GLP-1 RA exposure; lower seroma rates than in patients with prior bariatric surgery
- Limitations
- Pools observational analyses only; the abstract gives no effect sizes, patient characteristics or reason for GLP-1 RA use, and the authors call for prospective studies.
Who was studied
- Obesity status
- not reported in abstract
- Diabetes status
- not reported in abstract
- Cvd status
- not reported in abstract
- Ckd status
- not reported in abstract
- Baseline condition
- undergoing aesthetic and/or body-contouring surgery
- Sample size
- 29357
- Inclusion exclusion
- studies comparing postoperative outcomes after aesthetic and/or body-contouring surgery with and without GLP-1 RA exposure
Study quality details
- Study design
- Meta-analysis
- Sample size
- 29357
- Randomization
- no
- Blinding
- n/a
- Comparator
- patients without GLP-1 RA exposure; in a subgroup analysis, patients who had previously undergone bariatric surgery
- Follow up duration
- not stated
- Outcome type
- hard
- Replication
- not assessed
- Consistency with other evidence
- not assessed
- Population applicability
- UNKNOWN
- Statistical precision
- no CI values reported in the abstract; random-effects risk ratios with 95% CIs stated as the method
- Risk of bias
- not assessed
- Funding conflicts
- unclear
- Peer review status
- yes
02Funding
Funding and conflicts
- Funding
- not reported in abstract
- Industry funded
- Unclear
- Manufacturer
- not stated in source
- Sponsor role
- not reported in abstract
- Author conflicts
- The authors declare no competing interests.
- Independent replication
- unknown
Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.
04Source
The source, as retrieved
Abstract
[BACKGROUND] Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have rapidly expanded in use for weight loss, resulting in a growing population of patients presenting for aesthetic and body-contouring procedures. Despite their increasing prevalence, the effects of GLP-1 RAs on postoperative wound healing and surgical outcomes remain poorly defined. [METHODS] A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from database inception through May 2026. Studies comparing postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing aesthetic and/or body-contouring surgery with and without GLP-1 RA exposure were included. Primary outcomes included infection, wound dehiscence, delayed wound healing, hypertrophic scarring, seroma, hematoma, and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Random-effects meta-analyses were performed using risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). [RESULTS] Twelve studies comprising 29,357 patients met inclusion criteria, with 10 studies included in quantitative synthesis. In pooled observational analyses, GLP-1 RA exposure was associated with increased risk of delayed wound healing and hypertrophic scarring. Subgroup analysis comparing GLP-1 RA users with patients who had previously undergone bariatric surgery demonstrated decreased seroma rates in the GLP-1 RA group. [CONCLUSIONS] GLP-1 RA use in patients undergoing aesthetic and body-contouring surgery was associated in pooled observational analyses with increased risks of delayed wound healing and hypertrophic scarring, while GLP-1 RA use was associated with lower seroma rates in comparison with patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. As GLP-1 RA use become increasingly prevalent, further prospective studies are needed to clarify their perioperative effects and optimize patient selection and surgical outcomes.
Where this record came from
| Source | Retrieved | Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| pubmed | Oct 18, 2026 | 42879169 first ingestion |