Semaglutide, a Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1 RA), is often prescribed for managing type 2 diabetes, particularly in cases unresponsive to other hypoglycemic agents. Despite its popularity, the real-world efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Semaglutide relative to other treatments remain understudied. This study aimed to examine the direct medical cost and consequences of adding Semaglutide to the treatment regimen for patients with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia. We conducted a single-center, retrospective review of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) for adults with type 2 diabetes. Patients who had been on Semaglutide for at least three months were matched with those receiving alternative hypoglycemic therapies. Exclusions were made for patients with cancer, incomplete EMRs, or lacking prescription data. Investigated outcomes included changes in HbA1C levels and weight, and the direct costs comprised medications, clinic visits, and emergency care. Baseline adjustments were made through inverse probability treatment weighting, and uncertainty was assessed via bootstrapping with 10,000 replications. Out of 350 patients meeting the criteria, 116 were on Semaglutide. Predominantly females (62%), the cohort had an average age of 60 and a disease duration of 22 years. The difference in HbA1C (%) reductions between Semaglutide and non-Semaglutide users over 3,6, and 12 months were 0.154 (95% CI: –0.452-0.483), –0.031(95% CI: –0.754-0.239), –0.16(95% CI: –1.425-0.840), respectively. Semaglutide users did experience modest weight reductions ranging from 0.42 kg to 1.16 kg. The annual additional direct medical cost for Semaglutide was USD 4,086.82 (95% CI: $3,710.85 - $4,294.99). Although Semaglutide induced modest weight reductions, it did not offer significant advantages in lowering HbA1C levels compared to other hypoglycemic treatments. These findings suggest the need for further research involving larger and more diverse cohorts to corroborate these findings.

中文翻译：

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沙特阿拉伯 II 型糖尿病患者治疗方案中添加索马鲁肽的成本后果分析

索马鲁肽是一种胰高血糖素样肽 1 受体激动剂 (GLP-1 RA)，通常用于治疗 2 型糖尿病，特别是在对其他降血糖药物无反应的情况下。尽管索马鲁肽很受欢迎，但其相对于其他治疗方法的现实疗效和成本效益仍未得到充分研究。本研究旨在探讨将索马鲁肽添加到沙特阿拉伯 2 型糖尿病患者治疗方案中的直接医疗成本和后果。我们对成人 2 型糖尿病患者的电子病历 (EMR) 进行了单中心回顾性审查。已服用索马鲁肽至少三个月的患者与接受替代降糖疗法的患者进行匹配。患有癌症、电子病历不完整或缺乏处方数据的患者被排除在外。调查结果包括 HbA1C 水平和体重的变化，直接成本包括药物、就诊和紧急护理。通过逆概率处理加权进行基线调整，并通过 10,000 次重复的引导来评估不确定性。在 350 名符合标准的患者中，有 116 名患者服用索马鲁肽。该队列主要为女性 (62%)，平均年龄为 60 岁，病程为 22 年。 3.6 和 12 个月内，索马鲁肽使用者和非索马鲁肽使用者之间的 HbA1C (%) 降低差异为 0.154 (95% CI: –0.452-0.483)、–0.031(95% CI: –0.754-0.239)、–分别为 0.16（95% CI：–1.425-0.840）。索马鲁肽使用者确实经历了适度的体重减轻，范围从 0.42 公斤到 1.16 公斤。索马鲁肽每年的额外直接医疗费用为 4,086.82 美元（95% CI：3,710.85 美元 - 4,294.99 美元）。尽管索马鲁肽可适度减轻体重，但与其他降糖治疗相比，它在降低 HbA1C 水平方面并没有显着优势。这些发现表明需要进行进一步的研究，涉及更大、更多样化的群体来证实这些发现。