Comparison of exenatide and acarbose on intra-abdominal fat content in patients with obesity and type-2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial
- Design
- Randomized trial · 36 participants · Mixed outcome
- Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
- Different population[Auto] Participants had obesity/overweight (age/BMI not reported in abstract).
- Could weight loss explain it?
- Possibly[Auto] Participants had obesity and/or type 2 diabetes and the abstract does not separate direct drug effects from weight loss or glycaemic improvement.
- Study tier
- Study tier 3[Auto] Small or short randomized trial (auto-provisional).
- Assessment
- Version 1 · automatic, not yet reviewed by a person · Sep 13, 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.
[Auto, unreviewed; quoted from abstract conclusions] Combined exenatide/metformin reduced intra-abdominal fat content, and enhanced insulin resistance and inflammatory status in patients with obesity and type-2 diabetes, representing a novel treatment regimen.
01Findings
What the study reported
- Drugs
- Exenatide
- Treatment duration
- 3 months
- Comparator
- acarbose
- Primary outcome
- Not extracted
- Effect
- Not extracted
- 95% confidence interval
- Not extracted
- Follow-up
- 3 months
- Adverse events
- Not extracted
- Limitations
- Auto-classified from abstract only; effect estimates, adverse events and limitations not extracted. Requires manual review.
Who was studied
- Obesity status
- obesity/overweight present (all or most)
- Diabetes status
- diabetes mentioned
- Sample size
- 36
Study quality details
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Sample size
- 36
- Randomization
- yes
- Blinding
- not stated
- Comparator
- not stated
- Follow up duration
- 3 months
- Outcome type
- mixed
- Replication
- not assessed (auto)
- Consistency with other evidence
- not assessed (auto)
- Population applicability
- INDIRECT
- Statistical precision
- not extracted
- Risk of bias
- not assessed (auto)
- Funding conflicts
- unclear
- Peer review status
- yes
02Funding
Funding and conflicts
- Funding
- not reported in abstract
- Industry funded
- Unclear
- Manufacturer
- None identified
- Sponsor role
- not reported in abstract
- Author conflicts
- not available in metadata
- Independent replication
- unknown
Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.
04Source
The source, as retrieved
Abstract
[OBJECTIVE] To investigate exenatide, a GLP-1 analogue, compared with acarbose, for intra-abdominal fat reduction in patients with obesity and type-2 diabetes. [METHODS] This randomized controlled trial included 36 patients with obesity and type-2 diabetes, who were metformin-unresponsive, receiving metformin/exenatide (GLP-1 group) or metformin/acarbose (control group) for 3 months. Primary end-point: intra-abdominal fat content from baseline to 3 months; Secondary end-points: changes in fasting blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbAlc), fasting insulin, blood lipids, weight, body mass index, and inflammatory cytokines from baseline to 3 months. [RESULTS] Intra-abdominal fat content decreased in the GLP-1 group from baseline to 3 months (17,947±5804; 13,717±3628mm2, P=0.001, respectively), but was not significantly reduced in the control group (P=0.197) and at 3 months post-treatment, it was significantly lower in the GLP-1 group than control group (P=0.043). Glucose control, measured by HbA1c (GLP-1: 9.72±1.38; 7.09±0.60%, P<0.001, 9.46±1.25; 7.42±0.84%, P<0.001, respectively) and insulin resistance index LN(HOMA-IR) (GLP-1: 1.58±0.40; 1.01±0.33, P<0.001, Control: 1.53±0.57; 1.10±0.33, P=0.003, respectively) significantly improved in both groups with no significant difference between them. TNF-α, IL-6, and leptin were lower and adiponectin levels higher in the GLP-1 group at 3 months compared with baseline (all P<0.05), but not significantly changed in the control group. TNF-α, IL-6 and leptin levels were similar between groups. Adiponectin level was higher in the GLP-1 group than the control group at 3 months (P=0.025). [CONCLUSION] Combined exenatide/metformin reduced intra-abdominal fat content, and enhanced insulin resistance and inflammatory status in patients with obesity and type-2 diabetes, representing a novel treatment regimen.
Where this record came from
| Source | Retrieved | Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| pubmed | Sep 13, 2026 | 28161303 first ingestion |