This study evaluates the relationship between weight loss, circulating inflammatory markers and lipids from 24 patients before and after 6 months of pharmacotherapy as a standard of care for anti-obesity treatment

This study aims to determine if weight loss by pharmacotherapy with liraglutide, semaglutide, or phentermine-topiramate promotes the reduction of pro-tumoral inflammatory cells Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), simultaneously to the improvement of lipid profile (LDL-Cholesterol, HDL-Cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids) and concentration in the blood.

Liraglutide, semaglutide, and phentermine-topiramate are FDA-approved medications to treat obesity and obesity-associated comorbidities.

Twenty-four patients undergoing standard of care for anti-obesity treatment at VA Medical Center, and Tulane Center for Clinical Research (TCCR) will be recruited before initiation of pharmacotherapy as part of their standard of care and followed up to 6 months to compare the primary study variables.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body mass index (BMI): over 30 kg/m2
• Age: 35 to 60 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

• Taking medications with anti-inflammatory properties like glucocorticoids, prednisone, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin or Motrin Subjects on medications for long-term weight management such as phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), orlistat (Xenical), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), and the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists such as liraglutide (Saxenda), and semaglutide (Wegovy).
• Prior history of cancer
• Having any clinical symptoms of systemic inflammation, acute infections such as Coronavirus disease 2019, or chronic diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, autoimmune disease, and AIDS
• An adult unable to consent
• Prisoner
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding women

Patients with obesity, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) > 30, from New Orleans and its surroundings, scheduled for initiating the anti-obesity treatment with drugs for weight loss as part of their standard-of-care for anti-obesity treatment at Clinics from New Orleans and its surroundings; therefore, the research trial team will not provide the medications. Expect to recruit 50% African American (6 women, 6 men), and 50% White American (6 women, 6 men), as a representative majority of the New Orleans population.

The investigators will adhere to the NIH Grants Policy on Sharing of Unique Research Resources, including the Sharing of Biomedical Research Resources: Guidelines for Recipients of NIH Grants and Contracts on Obtaining and Disseminating Biomedical Research Resources (NOT-OD-21-013).

Data dictionaries, statistical analysis code, and de-identified data may be deposited for sharing. Data may include demographic, clinical, anthropometric, outcome measures, and other relevant variables, as allowed by the data-owning organization, consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

Data may be deposited into the repository no later than within one year of completing the study period for the award or upon acceptance of the data for publication or public disclosure of study results.

Deidentified data and supporting information may be shared with investigators and research staff working under a Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) institution and could be used for secondary study purposes after approval of the local Institutional Review Board (IRB)