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Effect of acarbose on weight maintenance after dietary weight loss in obese subjects *
Author(s) -
Hauner H.,
Petzinna D.,
Sommerauer B.,
Toplak H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
diabetes, obesity and metabolism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.445
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1463-1326
pISSN - 1462-8902
DOI - 10.1046/j.1463-1326.2001.00156.x
Subject(s) - acarbose , weight loss , medicine , placebo , obesity , population , weight change , body weight , endocrinology , gastroenterology , diabetes mellitus , alternative medicine , environmental health , pathology
SUMMARYAims Acarbose is a well established antidiabetic drug and is known to exert a modest weight‐lowering effect. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of acarbose to improve weight maintenance after a substantial weight loss by dietary measures in obese subjects. Design Randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of the effect of acarbose on weight change over a 6‐month follow‐up period. Patients and Methods One hundred and ten obese subjects with a BMI ≥ 32 and ≤ 38 kg/m 2 were included in the study and underwent a 10–16‐week very‐low‐calorie diet programme to initiate weight loss. Then, subjects were randomised to receive either acarbose or placebo for 26 ± 2 weeks. The primary variable was body weight. The primary efficacy analysis was performed in the per‐protocol population ( n = 75). Results After an initial mean weight loss of 10.0 ± 3.4 kg, 54 subjects received acarbose at increasing dosage and 56 subjects received placebo treatment. After 14 weeks of follow‐up, there was no change in body weight in the two groups. After 26 weeks, completed by 37 subjects in the acarbose group and by 38 subjects in the placebo group, a small weight regain of 0.6 kg was documented in the latter, whereas no weight increase was observed under acarbose treatment (p = 0.38, analysis of covariance with initial body weight as covariable). Conclusion In obese individuals who undergo a hypocaloric diet and achieve a substantial loss of body weight, acarbose treatment provides only a very modest, not significant benefit to stabilise weight reduction. Thus, acarbose is not a useful adjunct to improve weight maintenance in obese subjects after weight loss.