Safety and efficacy of naltrexone for weight loss in adult patients – a systematic review

Abstract

IntroductionThis is a report of a systematic review of the safety and effica�cy of naltrexone or naltrexone/bupropion on weighMaterial and MethodsThe databases Medline, PubMed, and Embase as well as the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register for randomized controlled tri�als were searched for studies published from January 1966 to January 2018. A meta-analysis, randomised controlled trials, controlled trials, uncontrolled trials, cohort studies and open-label studies were analysed.ResultsOf 191 articles, 14 fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 1 meta-analysis, 10 randomized controlled trials, and 3 studies without randomization were found. In these studies, the efficacy and safety of naltrexone/bupropion in obesity were analysed. In the majority of these studies, patients with at least 5% or 10% weight loss, as a primary outcome, were investigated. Generally, naltrexone/bupropion treatment can be a promising therapy for obese patients, including when combined with mental health treatment.ConclusionsBased on these studies, it can be said that naltrexone/bupropi�on treatment is effective in the weight loss of overweight subjects. The nal�trexone/bupropion treatment was well tolerated by the patients, and side effects were rarely reported.