Weight Loss Drug Combo May Improve QOL

Not surprisingly, improvement in quality of life was directly related to amount of weight lost. In EQUIP, those losing less than 5% of their body weight had a mean change of 5 points on the IWQOL-Lite at 56 weeks, compared with 17 points for those who lost 10% or more of their body weight. Similar results were seen on the IWQOL-Lite in CONQUER (from 6 vs. 18 points, respectively), and on the SF-36 in CONQUER (2 vs. 6 points).

Separately, Miriam M. Rueger, R.N., a certified diabetes educator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her associates presented data showing sustained weight loss among the CONQUER patients in a 52-week extension trial (SEQUEL).

In the double-blind, placebo-controlled extension study of subjects who completed 56 weeks of treatment in CONQUER and enrolled in SEQUEL, the original randomization was maintained in a total of 675 patients for an additional 52 weeks, with 227 continuing to receive placebo, 153 the lower phentermine/topiramate dose, and 295 the higher dose.

In the ITT-LOCF analysis conducted at 108 weeks, significantly greater weight loss was achieved with both the lower and higher drug doses, compared with placebo (9% and 11%, respectively, compared with 2%). The proportions of those achieving a body weight loss of 10% or more were 54% and 50% for the higher and lower doses, respectively, vs. just 12% with placebo, said Ms. Rueger.

The proportion of patients who discontinued the study because of adverse events was low and did not differ between groups, ranging from 3% with placebo to 5% with the lower drug dose, they said.