Real-World Use of Oral and Subcutaneous Semaglutide in Routine Clinical Practice in the UK: A Single-Centre, Retrospective Observational Study

Semaglutide, the only glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) available in subcutaneous and oral formulation for treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), has demonstrated clinically significant improvements in glycaemic control and weight in clinical trials. This study aimed to gain insights into the use of both formulations and evaluate their clinical effectiveness in a secondary care clinic in Wales.

This was a retrospective observational analysis of adults with T2D initiated on oral or subcutaneous semaglutide. Changes from baseline in glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c), weight and other metabolic parameters were evaluated.

At baseline, participants (n = 103) had a mean age of 57.3 years, mean HbA_1c of 79.1 mmol/mol (9.38%), mean weight of 111.8 kg and body mass index (BMI) of 39.6 kg/m² (no statistically significant differences between oral and subcutaneous groups). At 6-month follow-up, statistically significant improvements in HbA_1c (− 19.3 mmol/mol [− 1.77%] and − 20.8 mmol/mol [− 1.90%]), body weight (− 9.0 kg and − 7.2 kg), and BMI (− 3.3 kg/m² and − 2.5 kg/m²) were observed for oral and subcutaneous semaglutide, respectively. No statistically significant differences between the formulations were observed, and safety profiles were comparable.

Both formulations of semaglutide provided clinically and statistically significant reductions in HbA_1c and weight in real-world practice. Oral GLP-1 RA may offer a practical and effective option for the management of T2D.