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Horm Metab Res 2017; 49(01): 5-9
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-109065
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Liraglutide Treatment May Affect Renin and Aldosterone Release

Tuuli Sedman   *
1   Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, and Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
,
Keiu Heinla   *
1   Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, and Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
,
Eero Vasar
1   Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, and Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
,
Vallo Volke
1   Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, and Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
2   Endocrinology Unit, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 04 March 2016

accepted 11 May 2016

Publication Date:
14 June 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Nowadays, GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely used as effective and safe antidiabetic medications. In addition to glucose-dependent insulin secretion, their effects reach beyond glucose control. Previously, it has been shown that acute administration of GLP-1 receptor agonists increases circulating glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid levels in both humans and rodents. So far, no studies have reported the effects of chronic administration of GLP-1 receptor agonists on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in humans. The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of acute and chronic treatment with the GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide on adrenal function in humans. Ten healthy volunteers were recruited into a single group open-label clinical trial. Each participant was tested for baseline levels, and after acute and chronic treatment with 0.6 mg liraglutide daily. A graded glucose infusion test was performed 3 times. We found that aldosterone tended to be suppressed (albeit not statistically different) after acute administration of liraglutide, and increased after chronic dosing; the difference was statistically significant when compared between acute and chronic dosing. Changes in aldosterone levels followed the changes in renin concentrations and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio remained stable. No statistically significant differences were observed in ACTH or cortisol levels. In conclusion, we have shown that a low dose of GLP-1 receptor agonist may interfere with renin and aldosterone release. Further studies in a larger patient sample and with higher doses of GLP-1 receptor agonists are warranted to corroborate this finding. The study protocol was registered at clinical.trials.gov (NCT02089256) and EU Clinical Trial Register (2014-000238-43).

Key words

GLP-1 analogues - hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis - aldosterone - glucose tolerance test - cortisol

* Tuuli Sedman and Keiu Heinla contributed equally to the work


 

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