Weight-loss drugs may affect arthritis directly in the joints - new study finds
A new study from Aarhus University shows that the hormone GLP-1, which is mimicked in medication for diabetes and weight loss, is present in joint fluid. In the long term, this may open up new treatments for arthritis.
Arthritis includes a range of conditions that affect the joints, from inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis to more common conditions like osteoarthritis. Many people experience pain, stiffness, and a reduced quality of life. Treatment today focuses on reducing inflammation and relieving symptoms, depending on the type of arthritis. However, researchers from the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University have now identified a new possible route for future treatments. Associate Professor Tue Wenzel Kragstrup, who led the new study, published in the scientific journal Lancet Rheumatology says:
“Our study shows that the body’s own GLP-1 hormone is present only in very small amounts in the joints. This means that its natural effect in the joint is likely to be limited. However, it also suggests that GLP-1-based medication, which is administered in much higher doses, may be able to influence inflammation directly in the joints,” he says.
In other words, because GLP-1 medication contains such high doses of the hormone, it may also have an effect in the joints, where levels are otherwise low.
“Weight loss is already part of the recommendations for many patients with arthritis, but our study may indicate that medication such as Wegovy could have a dual effect – both through weight loss and by increasing GLP-1 levels in the joints,” says Tue Wenzel Kragstrup.
The study is based on analyses of blood and joint fluid samples from patients with arthritis. The data analysis was carried out by medical doctor and PhD student Mads Brüner in collaboration with PhD student Amalie Broksø. According to Mads Brüner, the level of GLP-1 is directly linked to the levels in the blood of arthritis patients:
“We can see that the levels of GLP-1 in joint fluid are closely linked to the levels in the blood. This suggests that it is primarily the amount of GLP-1 circulating in the body that determines how much reaches the joint,” he says.
More research needed
Previous studies have linked GLP-1 to possible anti-inflammatory effects, but this is the first time GLP-1 has been detected in joint fluid in arthritis patients, says Tue Wenzel Kragstrup.
“Our findings provide a biological basis for investigating whether GLP-1-based medication may have direct effects in the joints – beyond the known effects on weight and metabolism. However, we have not demonstrated that the treatment works against arthritis. This will require a number of clinical studies,” he says.
Therefore, arthritis patients should not expect to be prescribed GLP-1 medication as a direct treatment for their condition in the near future, he adds.
“The next step is to investigate whether the medication reaches the joints in sufficient quantities and actually reduces inflammation in the joints.”
About the research
- Study type: A translational clinical biomarker study based on analyses of paired blood and joint fluid samples from patients with inflammatory arthritic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis). The aim was to investigate whether the hormone GLP-1 can be measured in joint fluid and how its levels relate to those in the blood.
- Collaborators: The study was conducted in collaboration between researchers from the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University, the Department of Molecular Medicine (MOMA) at Aarhus University Hospital, the Clinic for Rheumatic and Connective Tissue Diseases at the Medical Diagnostic Centre at Hospitalsenhed Midt, as well as the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research and the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.
- Funding: Director Michael Hermann Nielsen’s Memorial Grant and the Risford Foundation.
- Conflict of interest: The authors state that there are no conflicts of interest related to the present study.
- Learn more in the scientific paper: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(26)00074-3/fulltext.
Contact:
Associate Professor Tue Wenzel Kragstrup
Department of Clinical Medicine, Health, Aarhus University
Email: kragstrup@biomed.au.dk
Telephone: 29821739