Abstract
Purpose
Recent trials suggest glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may have a cardioprotective role by reducing major adverse cardiac events, stroke mortality and heart failure-related hospitalisations. We examined whether and how GLP-1RAs affect cardiac function in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart failure and post-myocardial infarction.
Methods
In this PRISMA-adherent systematic review and meta-analysis, three databases were searched from inception to July 2021 and registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021259661).
Results
20 reports of 19 randomized placebo-controlled trials including 2062 participants were meta-analyzed. Among type 2 diabetes patients, GLP-1RA resulted in improved systolic function measured by circumferential strain (mean difference [MD]= -5.48; 95% CI: -10.47 to -0.49; P= 0.03; I2= 89%) and diastolic dysfunction measured by E / A (MD= -0.15; 95% CI: -0.25 to -0.05; P= 0.003; I2= 0%). For post-myocardial infarction patients, GLP-1RA reduced infarct size (g) (MD= -5.36; 95% CI: -10.68 to -0.04; P= 0.05; I2= 78%). Liraglutide, but not exenatide, demonstrated improved systolic function, by increasing left ventricular ejection fraction (MD= 4.89; 95% CI: 3.62 to 6.16; P< 0.00001; I2= 0%) and reducing left ventricular end-systolic volume (MD= -4.15; 95% CI: -7.49 to -0.81; P = 0.01; I2= 0%). Among heart failure patients, no significant changes were noted.
Conclusion
GLP-1RA drugs may improve systolic and diastolic function in type 2 diabetes and reduce infarct size post-acute myocardial infarction with no demonstrable effect on cardiac function in heart failure. Tailored recommendations for the use of GLP-1RAs for cardioprotection should be considered for each patient’s condition.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
F. Marsico et al., "Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on major cardiovascular events in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus with or without established cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials," Eur Heart J, vol. 41, no. 35, pp. 3346-3358, 2020, doi: .
Hinnen D. Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists for Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Spectr. 2017;30(3):202–10.
Madsbad S. Review of head-to-head comparisons of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2016;18(4):317–32.
Gejl M, et al. Influence of GLP-1 on myocardial glucose metabolism in healthy men during normo- or hypoglycemia. PLoS One. 2014;9(1):e83758.
Li R, Shan Y, Gao L, Wang X, Wang X, Wang F. The Glp-1 Analog Liraglutide Protects Against Angiotensin II and Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy via PI3K/Akt1 and AMPKa Signaling. Front Pharmacol. 2019;10:537.
Wang D, Jiang L, Feng B, He N, Zhang Y, Ye H. Protective effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on cardiac remodeling by inhibiting oxidative stress through mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1/p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase pathway in diabetes mellitus. J Diabetes Investig. 2020;11(1):39–51.
Nauck MA, Meier JJ, Cavender MA, Abd El Aziz M, Drucker DJ. Cardiovascular Actions and Clinical Outcomes With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors. Circulation. 2017;136(9):849–70.
Petersen SE, et al. Reference ranges for cardiac structure and function using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in Caucasians from the UK Biobank population cohort. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2017;19(1):18.
Solomon SD, et al. Influence of ejection fraction on cardiovascular outcomes in a broad spectrum of heart failure patients. Circulation. 2005;112(24):3738–44.
Wu E, et al. Infarct size by contrast enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance is a stronger predictor of outcomes than left ventricular ejection fraction or end-systolic volume index: prospective cohort study. Heart. 2008;94(6):730–6.
Hillis GS, et al. Noninvasive estimation of left ventricular filling pressure by E/e' is a powerful predictor of survival after acute myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004;43(3):360–7.
Chang SA, et al. Noninvasive estimate of left ventricular filling pressure correlated with early and midterm postoperative cardiovascular events after isolated aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010;140(6):1361–6.
Natali A, Nesti L, Trico D, Ferrannini E. Effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors on cardiac structure and function: a narrative review of clinical evidence. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2021;20(1):196.
A. Liberati et al., "The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration," J Clin Epidemiol, vol. 62, no. 10, pp. e1-34, Oct 2009, doi: .
S. F. Nagueh et al., "Recommendations for the Evaluation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function by Echocardiography: An Update from the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging," Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging, vol. 17, no. 12, pp. 1321-1360, Dec 2016, doi: .
Sterne JAC, et al. RoB 2: a revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. BMJ. 2019;366:l4898.
Review Manager (RevMan). 2020.
Higgins JP, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.
Wagner AM, et al. Effect of liraglutide on physical performance in type 2 diabetes: Results of a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial (LIPER2). Diabetes Metab. 2019;45(3):268–75.
Jorsal A, et al. Effect of liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue, on left ventricular function in stable chronic heart failure patients with and without diabetes (LIVE)-a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Heart Fail. 2017;19(1):69–77.
R. Nielsen et al., "The impact of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist liraglutide on natriuretic peptides in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction with and without type 2 diabetes," Diabetes Obes Metab, vol. 22, no. 11, pp. 2141-2150, Nov 2020, doi: .
Margulies KB, et al. Effects of Liraglutide on Clinical Stability Among Patients With Advanced Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016;316(5):500–8.
Kumarathurai P, Sajadieh A, Anholm C, Kristiansen OP, Haugaard SB, Nielsen OW. Effects of liraglutide on diastolic function parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease: a randomized crossover study. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2021;20(1):12.
Kumarathurai P, et al. Effects of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist liraglutide on systolic function in patients with coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2016;15(1):105.
Chen WR, et al. Effects of liraglutide on left ventricular function in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Endocrine. 2016;52(3):516–26.
Chen WR, et al. Effects of liraglutide on left ventricular function in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Am Heart J. 2015;170(5):845–54.
Chen WR, et al. Effects of Liraglutide on Reperfusion Injury in Patients With ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2016;9(12). https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.116.005146.
Lepore JJ, et al. Effects of the Novel Long-Acting GLP-1 Agonist, Albiglutide, on Cardiac Function, Cardiac Metabolism, and Exercise Capacity in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction. JACC Heart Fail. 2016;4(7):559–66.
Lonborg J, et al. Exenatide reduces reperfusion injury in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Eur Heart J. 2012;33(12):1491–9.
Zhang JY, Wang XY, Wang X. Effects of liraglutide on hemodynamic parameters in patients with heart failure. Oncotarget. 2017;8(37):62693–702.
Roos ST, et al. No benefit of additional treatment with exenatide in patients with an acute myocardial infarction. Int J Cardiol. 2016;220:809–14.
Woo JS, et al. Cardioprotective effects of exenatide in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: results of exenatide myocardial protection in revascularization study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2013;33(9):2252–60.
Garcia Del Blanco B, et al. Effect of COMBinAtion therapy with remote ischemic conditioning and exenatide on the Myocardial Infarct size: a two-by-two factorial randomized trial (COMBAT-MI). Basic Res Cardiol. 2021;116(1):4.
Jorgensen PG, et al. Effect of exercise combined with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist treatment on cardiac function: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2017;19(7):1040–4.
Bizino MB, et al. Effect of liraglutide on cardiac function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: randomized placebo-controlled trial. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2019;18(1):55.
Paiman EHM, et al. Effect of Liraglutide on Cardiovascular Function and Myocardial Tissue Characteristics in Type 2 Diabetes Patients of South Asian Descent Living in the Netherlands: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2020;51(6):1679–88.
Scalzo RL, et al. Exenatide improves diastolic function and attenuates arterial stiffness but does not alter exercise capacity in individuals with type 2 diabetes. J Diabetes Complicat. 2017;31(2):449–55.
Ikonomidis I, et al. Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists, Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors, and Their Combination on Endothelial Glycocalyx, Arterial Function, and Myocardial Work Index in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus After 12-Month Treatment. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;9(9):e015716.
R. M. Lang et al., "EAE/ASE recommendations for image acquisition and display using three-dimensional echocardiography," Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1-46, Jan 2012, doi: .
Lang RM, et al. Recommendations for cardiac chamber quantification by echocardiography in adults: an update from the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2015;28(1):1–39 e14.
Lang RM, et al. Recommendations for chamber quantification. Eur J Echocardiogr. 2006;7(2):79–108.
Ibanez B, et al. Cardiac MRI Endpoints in Myocardial Infarction Experimental and Clinical Trials: JACC Scientific Expert Panel. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;74(2):238–56.
Bogdanovic J, et al. Impact of acute hyperglycemia on layer-specific left ventricular strain in asymptomatic diabetic patients: an analysis based on two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2019;18(1):68.
Cioffi G, et al. Combined circumferential and longitudinal left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without myocardial ischemia. Exp Clin Cardiol. 2013;18(1):e26–31 [Online]. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24294044.
von Bibra H, Sutton MSJ. Diastolic dysfunction in diabetes and the metabolic syndrome: promising potential for diagnosis and prognosis. Diabetologia. 2010;53(6):1033–45.
Oktay AA et al. Diabetes, Cardiomyopathy, and Heart Failure, in Endotext, K. R. Feingold et al. Eds. South Dartmouth (MA), 2000.
Miller TD, Christian TF, Hopfenspirger MR, Hodge DO, Gersh BJ, Gibbons RJ. Infarct size after acute myocardial infarction measured by quantitative tomographic 99mTc sestamibi imaging predicts subsequent mortality. Circulation. 1995;92(3):334–41.
Pride YB, et al. Relation between infarct size in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated successfully by percutaneous coronary intervention and left ventricular ejection fraction three months after the infarct. Am J Cardiol. 2010;106(5):635–40.
Bose AK, Mocanu MM, Carr RD, Brand CL, Yellon DM. Glucagon-like peptide 1 can directly protect the heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Diabetes. 2005;54(1):146–51.
Timmers L, et al. Exenatide reduces infarct size and improves cardiac function in a porcine model of ischemia and reperfusion injury. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009;53(6):501–10.
Zhao T, et al. Direct effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on myocardial contractility and glucose uptake in normal and postischemic isolated rat hearts. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006;317(3):1106–13.
G. Multicenter Postinfarction Research. Risk stratification and survival after myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 1983;309(6):331–6.
White HD, Norris RM, Brown MA, Brandt PW, Whitlock RM, Wild CJ. Left ventricular end-systolic volume as the major determinant of survival after recovery from myocardial infarction. Circulation. 1987;76(1):44–51.
Jenca D, et al. Heart failure after myocardial infarction: incidence and predictors. ESC Heart Fail. 2021;8(1):222–37.
Melchior T, Rask-Madsen C, Torp-Pedersen C, Hildebrandt P, Kober L, Jensen G. The impact of heart failure on prognosis of diabetic and non-diabetic patients with myocardial infarction: a 15-year follow-up study. Eur J Heart Fail. 2001;3(1):83–90.
Lewis EF, et al. Predictors of late development of heart failure in stable survivors of myocardial infarction: the CARE study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2003;42(8):1446–53.
Stone GW, et al. Relationship Between Infarct Size and Outcomes Following Primary PCI: Patient-Level Analysis From 10 Randomized Trials. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;67(14):1674–83.
Trevisan M, et al. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and the risk of cardiovascular events in diabetes patients surviving an acute myocardial infarction. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Pharmacother. 2021;7(2):104–11.
Khan MS, et al. Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Heart Failure: The Need for Further Evidence Generation and Practice Guidelines Optimization. Circulation. 2020;142(12):1205–18.
Fudim M, et al. Effect of Once-Weekly Exenatide in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With and Without Heart Failure and Heart Failure-Related Outcomes: Insights From the EXSCEL Trial. Circulation. 2019;140(20):1613–22.
Husain M, et al. Semaglutide (SUSTAIN and PIONEER) reduces cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes across varying cardiovascular risk. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2020;22(3):442–51.
Tougaard RS, et al. Heart rate increases in liraglutide treated chronic heart failure patients: association with clinical parameters and adverse events. Scand Cardiovasc J. 2020;54(5):294–9.
DeVore AD, et al. Relation of Elevated Heart Rate in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction to One-Year Outcomes and Costs. Am J Cardiol. 2016;117(6):946–51.
Joshi SS, Singh T, Newby DE, Singh J. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor therapy: mechanisms of action in heart failure. Heart. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2020-318060.
Cosentino F, et al. 2019 ESC Guidelines on diabetes, pre-diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases developed in collaboration with the EASD. Eur Heart J. 2020;41(2):255–323.
Arnett DK, et al. 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;74(10):e177–232.
Garber AJ, et al. Consensus Statement by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology on the Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm - 2020 Executive Summary. Endocr Pract. 2020;26(1):107–39.
Bajaj S. RSSDI clinical practice recommendations for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus 2017. Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries. 2018;38(Suppl 1):1–115.
López GRB, González LJ, Mendoza RG, Yáñez GF. Dapagliflozin Effects on Mayor Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction (DAPA-AMI) (DAPA-AMI). (accessed.
Ma X, et al. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs): cardiovascular actions and therapeutic potential. Int J Biol Sci. 2021;17(8):2050–68.
Data Availability Statement
The data underlying this article are available in the article and in its online supplementary material.
Funding
CS was supported by the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine’s Junior Academic Faculty Scheme.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
SYW, ARYBL, YHT and CS designed the study and developed the study protocol and tools. SYW, ARYBL, AHJS and YJW were responsible for data collection. YNT and YHT performed statistical analysis. SYW and ARYBL wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to the conceptualization of the research questions, interpretation of the results, and manuscript writing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical Approval
This article did not involve any animal or human studies.
Competing Interests
The Author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
ESM 1
(PDF 3609 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wong, S.Y., Lee, A.R.Y.B., Sia, A.H.J. et al. Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist (GLP-1RA) on Cardiac Structure and Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized-Controlled Trials. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 38, 371–389 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10557-022-07360-w
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10557-022-07360-w