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Introduction Despite being a major cause of preventable death worldwide, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) currently has only 3 FDA-approved pharmacotherapies. The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) semaglutide has shown promise in preclinical studies for reducing alcohol consumption, but there are currently no randomized clinical trials that associate a decline in AUD symptoms with semaglutide use. This case series presents 6 patients with positive AUD screenings who were treated with semaglutide for weight loss. All subsequently exhibited significant improvement in AUD symptoms. Methods Retrospective chart review was utilized to identify patients treated with semaglutide for weight loss who also had positive screenings for AUD on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT; score > 8 considered positive) prior to initiation of semaglutide therapy. Six patients were identified who met these criteria. A paired t-test was utilized to compare initial AUDIT scores with AUDIT scores after initiation of semaglutide therapy. Results The mean AUDIT score at intake was 14.0 ± 3.9, consistent with hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption. At follow-up, the mean AUDIT score was 4.5 ± 2.0, consistent with low-risk drinking behavior. All 6 identified patients (100%) had significant reduction in AUD symptomatology based on AUDIT score improvement following treatment with semaglutide (mean decrease of 9.5 points, paired t5= 8.50, p<0.001). The interval between AUDIT tests varied between patients, ranging from 1 month to 9 months. Decrease in AUDIT score was not related to the prescribed dose of semaglutide, nor to the amount of weight lost during the measured interval. Discussion This case series is consistent with preclinical data and suggests that GLP1-RAs have strong potential in the treatment of AUD. Additional randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies are needed to fully assess the efficacy of semaglutide in treating AUD.
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