Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Body composition changes in patients on GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing an intensive cardiac rehabilitation program
- Retrospective cohort study
- single-centre
Authors' conclusion
GLP-1 receptor agonist use during intensive cardiac rehabilitation was not associated with significantly different skeletal muscles mass changes after adjustment for measured covariates.
Study context
- Population
- Patients enrolled in a structured Pritikin intensive cardiac rehabilitation program, UC San Diego Health, 2017–2024
- Participants
- 468 patients
- Exposure
- GLP-1 RA use vs no GLP-1 RA use during intensive cardiac rehabilitation
- GLP-1 RAn = 67
- Outcome
- Percent change in skeletal muscle mass (bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA))
- Follow-up
- Baseline to ICR program completion
Main finding
Percent change in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) · baseline to program completion
β
0.62 %
95% CI −0.62 to 1.86
P = 0.326
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Percent change in fat mass (FM) · baseline to Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) program completion
- No significant between-group difference in percent change in FM
- β = 3.01%, 95% CI −1.64 to 7.66; p = 0.204
- adjusted analyses
Metabolic equivalents of task (METs)
- Both groups improved in METs with ICR
- P < 0.001
Original publication
Body composition changes in patients on GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing an intensive cardiac rehabilitation program. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 21 May 2026. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwag279
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it