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Efficacy of GLP-1rA, liraglutide, in plaque psoriasis treatment with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort and before-after studies.

J Dermatolog Treat · 2022

Last updated 2026-05-28

A review of four small studies involving 32 patients found that liraglutide, a GLP-1 drug, reduced the severity of plaque psoriasis in people with type 2 diabetes. The treatment also lowered fasting blood sugar levels, but it did not significantly change weight, quality of life scores, or long-term blood sugar control (HbA1c).

AI summary of the abstract below.

JournalJ Dermatolog Treat, 2022
Citations29
Relative citation ratio3.28
NIH percentile86
Molecules liraglutide
Conditions studied Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis usually accompanies comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It has been proposed that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists used in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes may also improve psoriasis. However, the number of patients in every single study is relatively small. OBJECTIVES: We carried out a meta-analysis to evaluate whether GLP-1R is effective for the treatment of plaque psoriasis with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A search of PubMed, Ovid Embase, the Cochrane Library for controlled trials was done from inception to June 20th, 2020. Published trials that included psoriasis patients with type 2 diabetes, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) of treated by GLP-1R before and after. All statistical analyses were conducted using the Stata 15.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA). RESULTS: There were 4 trials involving 32 patients. Patients treated by GLP-1R after showed significantly lower PASI (SMD: -4.332, 95% CI: -7.611 to -1.053,  = .01), lower fasting plasma glucose than treated before (SMD: -0.341, 95% CI: -0.679 to -0.004,  = .048). There was no significant difference in Body Mass Index (BMI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) between treated by GLP-1R after and before. CONCLUSIONS: GLP-1rA, liraglutide, therapy can reduce psoriasis who had concomitant type 2 diabetes severity, but may independently of changes in weight and glycaemic control.

Verbatim abstract via PubMed 33934692 ↗

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