Weight Loss of Over 100 lbs in a Patient of Prader-Willi Syndrome Treated With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists

Abstract

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is the most common genetic obesity syndrome. The clinical features of this condition include childhood obesity, hyperphagia, infantile hypotonia, hypogonadism, short stature, and characteristic facial features. The leading cause of morbidity and mortality in PWS is hyperphagia and resultant obesity. Here, we highlight the effectiveness of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists by reporting an interesting case of successful rapid weight loss in an adult with PWS using GLP-1 agonistsexenatide and liraglutide. To the best of our knowledge, this report presents the first clinical evidence supporting the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the treatment of genetic obesity syndromes; our patient lost a total of 125 lbs on GLP-1 analog and continues to lose weight.

Endocrine features of Prader-Willi syndrome: a narrative review focusing on genotype-phenotype correlation

“…Moreover, liraglutide has been approved for use in obese non-diabetic children older than 12 years. Some studies have reported the beneficial effects of incretin mimetics as an effective therapy for hyperphagia and obesity in PWS, considering its potential effects on ghrelin suppression, central appetite suppression (through its action on pro-opiomelanocortin POMC/ CART neurons and cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcripts in the arcuate nucleus (195),), increased energy expenditure (EE) and stimulation of insulin secretion, which could counterbalance the hypoinsulinemia reported in PWS (196)(197)(198)(199)(200). However, the data are still conflicting and other authors have reported no effect of liraglutide on weight loss either in children and adolescents with PWS (201).…”