Impact of semaglutide on weight and functional outcomes among obese heart failure patients: a propensity scores matching analysis

Obesity is a common comorbidity in heart failure, yet effective pharmacological options for weight loss in these patients are limited. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, has shown promise for weight reduction in obese adults. This study aims to evaluate semaglutide's impact on weight loss, functional status, and clinical outcomes in obese patients with heart failure. A retrospective analysis was conducted on all consecutive obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²) patients with heart failure at the University Hospital Bonn outpatient clinic from July 2019 to July 2022. Propensity score matching paired patients receiving semaglutide as an add-on therapy (SEMA) with those on medical therapy alone (Control). Among 1,942 patients with heart failure screened, 26 matched pairs were identified. At one year, the SEMA group exhibited significant weight loss, with a mean BMI reduction of -2.91 kg/m² (95% CI: -4.27 to -1.55; p