Cureus. 2024 Oct 15;16(10):e71511. doi: 10.7759/cureus.71511. eCollection 2024 Oct.
ABSTRACT
Obesity is a significant barrier to renal transplantation due to associated surgical risks and postoperative complications. This case series presents five cases of obese patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who successfully achieved substantial weight loss using semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide (GLP) type-1 receptor agonist, thereby becoming eligible for transplantation. Each patient experienced significant weight reduction, ranging from 11.7% to 14.8% of their baseline weight, with minimal side effects. Semaglutide was well-tolerated, and careful monitoring prevented complications such as fluid overload. These cases highlight the potential of semaglutide as an effective and safe adjunct for weight loss in ESRD patients, offering a viable alternative to lifestyle interventions and bariatric surgery. The findings suggest that semaglutide could broaden the pool of eligible transplant candidates and improve patient outcomes by using semaglutide as a weight loss therapy. Further research is warranted to explore its long-term effects on transplant outcomes and to develop guidelines for its use in clinical practice.
PMID:39553100 | PMC:PMC11563773 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.71511
