Successful naltrexone-bupropion treatment after several treatment failures in a patient with severe monogenic obesity

Mila S. Welling, Mostafa Mohseni, Eline S. van der Valk, Johanna M. van Hagen, Jan Steven Burgerhart, Mieke M. van Haelst, Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

We describe the therapeutic journey of a 33-year-old patient with early-onset obesity (BMI 56.7 kg/m2) and hyperphagia due to a likely pathogenic heterozygous melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene variant. She was unsuccessfully treated with several intensive lifestyle interventions, gastric bypass surgery (−40 kg weight loss, followed by +39.8 kg weight regain), liraglutide 3 mg (−3.8% weight loss with sustained hyperphagia), and metformin treatment. However, naltrexone-bupropion treatment led to −48.9 kg (−26.7%) weight loss, of which −39.9 kg (−38.3%) was fat mass, in 17 months of treatment. Importantly, she reported improved hyperphagia and quality of life. We describe the potential beneficial effects of naltrexone-bupropion on weight, hyperphagia, and quality of life in a patient with genetic obesity. This extensive journey shows that various anti-obesity agents can be initiated, subsequently terminated when ineffective and substituted with other anti-obesity agents to identify the most efficient anti-obesity treatment.
Original languageEnglish
Article number106199
JournaliScience
Volume26
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17 Mar 2023

Keywords

  • Biological sciences
  • Human Physiology
  • Human metabolism
  • Physiology

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