A new study found that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which include popular weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, may significantly improve post-surgical outcomes for some patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. The research was published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and may have implications for managing both chronic rhinosinusitis and obesity.
Research shows a potential link between chronic rhinosinusitis and obesity. As GLP-1RAs become increasingly common for treating obesity, the researchers behind the current study investigated the impact of prescriptions for these medications on revision rates for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS)- a minimally invasive surgery for sinus conditions, as well as the use of medications thereafter.
To do so, they analyzed healthcare data from 1,391 matched pairs of adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and obesity who had at least one prior FESS. Patients who received GLP-1RA prescriptions for medications like semaglutide, dulaglutide, and liraglutide at least one day after sinus surgery were compared to patients who did not receive the drugs. Follow-ups were conducted a year and five years after surgery.
At the one-year follow-up, patients prescribed GLP-1RAs were 36% lesss likely to require sinus surgery revision. Five years after surgery, they were 40% less likely to need surgery again and 28% less likely to receive first-time biologic prescriptions.
Previous research shows that GLP-1RAs have an anti-inflammatory effect on airway tissues, specifically reducing interleukin-33 production in nasal epithelial cells. Weight loss from taking these medications may also reduce obesity-related inflammation, which is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for chronic rhinosinusitis.
“As a retrospective database study, these findings are observational and highlight the need for future prospective research to better understand causality and underlying mechanisms," said the corresponding author of the study, Mohamad R. Chaaban, MD of the Head and Neck Institute at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, in a press release.
Sources: EurekAlert, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery