Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Semaglutide for Weight Loss and Cardiometabolic Improvement in Obese Pakistani Adults Without Type 2 Diabetes: A Single-Arm Open-Label Single-Center Trial

Official Summary

This prospective, open-label, single-arm, single-center interventional pilot trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose semaglutide for weight loss and cardiometabolic improvement in obese Pakistani adults without type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study will be conducted at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. A total of 60 obese adults aged 18 years or older with a body mass index (BMI) of 27.5 kg/m² or greater according to World Health Organization Asian cutoffs and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (fasting blood glucose \<126 mg/dL and HbA1c \<6.5%) will be enrolled. Eligible participants will receive once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide following a standard dose titration schedule of 0.25 mg weekly for four weeks, 0.5 mg weekly for four weeks, and 1.0 mg weekly for the remaining 16 weeks, for a total treatment duration of 24 weeks. All participants will receive standardized lifestyle counseling, including a hypocaloric diet with a 500-750 kcal/day deficit and at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity. The primary outcome is the percentage change in body weight from baseline to 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes include changes in body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lipid profile (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides), liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase), and quality of life. Safety will be assessed through continuous monitoring of adverse events and adverse drug reactions with causality assessment using the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale. Clinical and laboratory assessments will be conducted at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including paired t-tests or non-parametric equivalents and repeated measures analysis, with a significance level of p \< 0.05. The study will be conducted in ac

Study Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Allocation: NA
• Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Masking: NONE
• Enrollment: 60 participants

Interventions

• DRUG: Locally available low-dose semaglutide (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg) — Once-weekly subcutaneous injections following a titration schedule (0.25 mg for 4 weeks, 0.5 mg for 4 weeks, 1.0 mg for remaining 16 weeks) for a total of 24 weeks.

Primary Outcomes

• Percentage Change in Body Weight (Baseline to 24 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes

• Change in Body Mass Index (BMI) (Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks)
• Change in Waist Circumference (Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks)
• Change in Lipid Profile (Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks)
• Change in Liver Enzymes (Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks)
• Safety and Adverse Drug Reactions (Continous throughout 24 weeks)

Trial Locations

• Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderābād, Sindh, Pakistan

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