Liraglutide Therapy in a Prediabetic State: Rethinking the Evidence

Abstract

Background: Prediabetes is defined as a state of glucose metabolism between normal glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes. Continuous β-cell failure and death are the reasons for the evolution from normal glucose tolerance to prediabetes and finally type 2 diabetes. Introduction: The necessity of new therapeutic approaches in order to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes is obligatory. Liraglutide, a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist, has 97% homology for native GLP-1. Identification of the trophic and antiapoptotic properties of liraglutide in preclinical studies, together with evidence of sustained β-cell function longevity during its administration in type 2 diabetes individuals, indicated its earliest possible administration during this disease, or even before its development, so as to postpone or delay its onset. Methods: Pubmed and Google databases have been thoroughly searched and relevant studies were selected. Results: This paper explores the current evidence of liraglutide administration both in humans and animal models with prediabetes. Also, it investigates the safety profile of liraglutide treatment and its future role to postpone or delay the evolution of type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Liralgutide remains a valuable tool in our therapeutic armamentarium for individuals who are overweight or obese and have prediabetes. Future well designed studies will give valuable information that will help clinicians to stratify individuals who will derive the most benefit from this agent, achieving targeted therapeutic strategies.