A pilot randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg for binge eating disorder

Objective: To assess the efficacy of liraglutide 3.0 mg, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, for binge eating disorder (BED). Methods: Adults with a body mass index (BMI) >= 27 kg/m(2) enrolled in a pilot, 17-week double-blind, randomized controlled trial of liraglutide 3.0 mg/day for BED. The primary outcome was number of objective binge episodes (OBEs)/week. Binge remission, weight change, and psychosocial variables were secondary outcomes. Mixed effect models were used for continuous variables, and generalized estimating equations were used for remission rates. Results: Participants (n = 27) were 44.2 +/- 10.6 years; BMI = 37.9 +/- 11.8 kg/m(2); 63% women; and 59% White and 41% Black. At baseline, the liraglutide group (n = 13) reported 4.7 +/- 0.7 OBEs/week, compared with 3.0 +/- 0.7 OBEs/week for the placebo group, p = 0.07. At week 17, OBEs/week decreased by 4.0 +/- 0.6 in liraglutide participants and by 2.5 +/- 0.5 in placebo participants (p = 0,37, mean difference = 1.2, 95% confidence interval 1.3, 2.0). BED remission rates of 44% and 36%, respectively, did not differ, Percent weight loss was significantly greater in the liraglutide versus the placebo group (5.2 +/- 1.0% vs. 0.9 +/- 0.7%, p = 0.005). Conclusion: Participants in both groups reported reductions in OBEs, with the liraglutide group showing clinically meaningful weight loss. A pharmacy medication dispensing error was a significant limitation of this study. Further research on liraglutide and other GLP-1 agonists for BED is warranted.

Automated summary

This study assessed the efficacy of liraglutide in the treatment of binge eating disorder, and the results showed that the liraglutide group had significant reductions in binge episodes and weight. However, a significant limitation of this study was a pharmacy medication dispensing error.