Glucagon-like peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Gastrointestinal Adverse Events: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are widely used for glycemic control or weight management in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or overweight/obesity. However, there are concerns regarding their association with serious gastrointestinal adverse events though findings have been inconsistent.

Methods: We systematically searched 5 databases for placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing GLP-1RAs in patients with T2DM, overweight/obesity, or Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)/Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). We included trials that reported cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, cholangitis, cholestasis, pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, esophagitis, gastrointestinal ischemia, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, paralytic ileus, gastrointestinal ulceration, gastrointestinal perforation, or gastroparesis. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model, with subgroup analyses evaluating risks based on patient population, GLP-1RA versus dual agonist formulation, weight loss profile, dosing, and duration of action.

Results: We included 55 randomized controlled trials involving 106,395 participants. GLP-1RAs increased the risk of cholelithiasis (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.09-1.97; 2 more cases per 1,000) and probably increased the risk of GERD (RR 2.19, 95% CI 1.48-3.25; 4 more cases per 1,000) compared to placebo. GLP-1RAs probably have little or no effect on the risk of other gastrointestinal or biliary events. Subgroup analyses showed that the increased risks of cholelithiasis and GERD were more pronounced in trials including individuals with overweight/obesity or NASH/MASLD, weight-loss-inducing GLP-1RAs, or high-dose formulations, although these subgroup effects were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: GLP-1RAs are associated with an increased risk of cholelithiasis and GERD but do not appear to increase the risk of other gastrointestinal or biliary adverse events.