Overview

• A systematic review and meta-analysis in eClinicalMedicine pooled 21 observational studies covering nearly 97,000 surgical patients and found no higher risk of postoperative complications among those on GLP-1 therapy.
• Preoperative use of GLP-1 receptor agonists was associated with up to 16.7 kilograms of weight loss over six months, highlighting its potential to optimize outcomes for obese patients.
• Only 12 of the included studies reported postoperative outcomes, and authors warn that residual confounding and study heterogeneity limit the strength of current evidence.
• Lead researchers call for high-quality randomized controlled trials and economic evaluations to validate safety, assess cost-effectiveness and inform formal perioperative guideline updates.
• The findings challenge opinion-based cautions against GLP-1 use before surgery and raise questions about integrating these therapies into time-sensitive surgical pathways.