Tirzepatide eases MetS, cardiometabolic abnormalities in T2D

Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may benefit from using tirzepatide, which has been shown in a recent study to improve cardiometabolic abnormalities and resolve metabolic syndrome (MetS).

A team of investigators performed an individual participant data meta-analysis by pooling data from seven phase III randomized clinical trials comparing tirzepatide with placebo or standard antihyperglycaemic agents in individuals with T2D.

Outcomes assessed included cardiometabolic abnormalities, MetS and its components (elevated waist circumference, triglycerides, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]), as well as elevated BMI. These were evaluated using mixed-effects models, with inverse probability weighting to account for study design differences.

Overall, 7,805 participants (median age 59 years) were included, of whom 43.2 percent were women. The weighted median treatment duration was 41.0 weeks.

Treatment with tirzepatide resulted in a lower likelihood of cardiometabolic abnormalities: decreased HDL-C (odds ratio [OR] 0.66, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.52‒0.84), elevated BMI (OR, 0.04, 95 percent CI, 0.02‒0.08), and MetS (OR, 0.28, 95 percent CI, 0.24‒0.33).

The efficacy of tirzepatide in addressing MetS persisted across demographic and clinical subpopulations, with greater efficacy in patients aged <65 years (p=0.008 for interaction) and in those without baseline use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (p=0.009 for interaction).

Tirzepatide is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist that has pleiotropic effects on cardiometabolic health.