Treating Obesity
ByMichael Monostra
Fact checked byRichard Smith
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GLP-1s reduce C-reactive protein among adults without diabetes
August 03, 2026
2 min read
ByMichael Monostra
Fact checked byRichard Smith
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Key takeaways:
- Adults with obesity had a 48% larger decline in C-reactive protein (CRP) with GLP-1s vs. placebo.
- GLP-1s conferred a 38% greater CRP decrease vs. placebo in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Incretin-based medications lower high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels among adults with a range of cardiometabolic conditions, researchers reported at the International Congress on Obesity
“Clinicians should be aware that when prescribing semaglutide (Wegovy, Novo Nordisk) or tirzepatide (Zepbound, Eli Lilly) for weight management, they may also meaningfully reduce their patients’ inflammatory burden, which has independent prognostic value for cardiovascular risk,” Mario Cesar Torres-Chávez, MD, research assistant at Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez in Mexico City, told Healio. “This is particularly relevant for patients with elevated baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein who are already at higher CV risk.”
Torres-Chávez and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials assessing changes in inflammatory biomarkers for adults without diabetes using GLP-1s. Change in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was the primary outcome
There were 23,652 adults included in the trials. Those receiving incretin-based therapy had a 45% greater decrease in hsCRP than those receiving placebo (P < .0001)
There was significant heterogeneity (I2 = 71.1%) in the findings, which Torres-Chávez said was fully explained by clinical phenotype
“It was really interesting to see that the clinical phenotype fully accounted for the differences we observed across studies,” Torres-Chávez said. “When we looked closer at whether patients had obesity-related conditions, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or established cardiovascular disease, the differences between studies disappeared completely. This suggests that the anti-inflammatory response can be predicted based on the patient’s underlying condition, which is quite encouraging.”
Adults with obesity and weight-related comorbidities had a 48% greater decrease in hsCRP with incretin-based therapy compared with placebo. Those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) receiving semaglutide or tirzepatide had a 38% larger reduction in hsCRP than those receiving placebo. Similarly, adults with established CVD had a 38% greater decrease in hsCRP if they received an incretin-based drug compared with placebo
There was no difference in hsCRP change when semaglutide was compared with tirzepatide. Torres-Chávez said the lack of difference between the drugs “raises some intriguing questions” about whether the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide agonism seen in tirzepatide has an impact on anti-inflammatory markers
Torres-Chávez said the biggest question moving forward is to determine whether change in hsCRP is caused by the medication or weight loss itself. He added that more research is needed to examine how incretin-based drugs affect other inflammatory biomarkers
“Longer-term studies are important to see if the anti-inflammatory effects last and if they lead to real reductions in CV events through these inflammation-specific pathways,” Torres-Chávez said
For more information:
Mario Cesar Torres-Chávez, MD, can be reached at ctorres92@uabc.edu.mx; LinkedIn @MarioCesarTorresChavez; X @MarioCTorresMD
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