Anti-obesity medications may offer survival benefits for osteoarthritis patients

New research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology suggests that for people overweight or with obesity who also have knee or hip osteoarthritis, a slow-to-moderate-;but not fast-;rate of weight loss caused by anti-obesity medications may lower their risk of premature death.

Among 6,524 participants with knee or hip osteoarthritis who were taking orlistat, sibutramine, or rimonabant, the 5-year death rate was 5.3%, 4.0%, and 5.4% for the "weight gain/stable", "slow-to-moderate weight loss," and "fast weight loss" groups, respectively. Compared with the "weight gain/stable" group," the risk of death was 28% lower for the "slow-to-moderate weight loss" group and only 1% lower for the "fast weight loss" arm.

A slow-to-moderate rate of weight loss induced by anti-obesity medications may lower the risk of death in overweight/obese people with knee/hip osteoarthritis."

Jie Wei, PhD, first author of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, in China