Efficacy and Safety of Oral Semaglutide in Managing Type 2 Diabetes in India: A Real-World Study

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of oral semaglutide, the only tablet that delivers glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RA) orally, in a real-world setting, for Indian patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and methods: Medical data were included for patients with uncontrolled T2D. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in the laboratory was the main outcome measure. Hypoglycemia, weight, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were used as secondary metrics. Results: The weight reduction was significant during the first 6 months, then it was in a plateau phase, and again it went up from 12 months until the end of the study period. The mean FPG dropped from 156.4 mg/dL to 103.8 mg/dL, and the mean postprandial blood glucose (PPPG) changed from 248.9 mg/dL to 169.8 mg/dL over the treatment period. Similarly, the HbA1c level changed from 8.6% to 7.0%. A small percentage of patients had hypoglycemia: 0.5% of patients at T6, 1.1% at T12, and 1.4% reported having a moderate episode (54–70 mg/dL); one incident of severe hypoglycemia was observed at T12. Conclusions: For people with T2D, oral semaglutide therapy significantly reduced blood sugar levels and helped them lose weight.