Orlistat  reduced body weight ( weighted mean difference : −2.12 , p < 0.001 ) , total‐cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.30 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.27 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.034 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) and triglyceride ( weighted mean difference : −0.09 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) concentrations , while no effect on lipoprotein(a ) was observed .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol‐lowering were associated negatively with duration of orlistat treatment and positively with body weight changes .
In conclusion , Orlistat treatment slightly reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels , but not lipoprotein(a ) levels .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels reductions are more consistent in patients with greater body weight reduction and shorter duration of orlistat treatment .
We investigated the efficacy of orlistat on plasma lipids and body weight in a meta‐ analysis of 33 studies including 9732  participants .Orlistat  was associated with a slight but significant decrease in body weight , plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations , whereas plasma Lp(a ) levels were not affected by orlistat treatment .
Greater body weight reduction and lower duration of orlistat treatment promoted more consistent plasma total‐ and LDL‐cholesterol lowering
& NA ; Orlistat , an inhibitor of intestinal lipase , promotes body weight reduction .
The lipid‐lowering efficacy of orlistat is controversial and the effect of orlistat‐induced body weight reduction on lipid changes has not been explored in meta‐regression analyses .
HighlightsOrlistat is an inhibitor of intestinal lipase promoting body weight reduction , but whose lipid‐lowering efficacy is controversial .
One-year treatment of obesity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study of orlistat, a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor
OBJECTIVE : To assess the efficacy and tolerability of orlistat ( Xenical ® ) in producing and maintaining weight loss over a 12-month period . DESIGN : Patients were r and omized to double-blind treatment with either orlistat 120 mg or placebo three times daily , in conjunction with a low-energy diet , for 12 months . SETTING : Five centres in the UK.SUBJECTS : 228 obese adult patients with body mass index between 30 and 43 kg/m2 and mean weight 97 kg ( range 74–144 kg ) . INTERVENTIONS : All patients were prescribed a low-energy diet , providing 30 % of energy from fat , design ed to produce an individually tailored energy deficit of approximately 600 kcal/day , for a run-in period of 4 weeks and then 12 months , plus orlistat 120 mg or placebo three times daily . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES : Change in body weight ( the primary efficacy parameter ) , waist circumference and adverse events were review ed regularly , together with serum lipids , insulin , glucose and plasma levels of fat-soluble vitamins and β carotene . RESULTS : Based on an intent-to-treat analysis , after 1 y of treatment patients receiving orlistat had lost an average of 8.5 % of their initial body weight compared with 5.4 % for placebo-treated patients ; 35 % of the orlistat group lost at least 5 % of body weight compared with 21 % of the placebo group ( P<0.05 ) , and 28 % and 17 % , respectively ( P=0.04 ) lost at least  10 %  of body weight . Orlistat-treated patients showed significant decreases ( P<0.05 ) in serum levels of total cholesterol , low density lipoprotein cholesterol , and in the low density lipoprotein : high density lipoprotein ratio in comparison with placebo . Both groups had similar adverse-event profiles , except for gastrointestinal events , which were 26 % more frequent in the orlistat group but were mostly mild and transient . To maintain normal plasma levels of fat-soluble vitamins , supplements of vitamins A , D and E were given to 1.8 % , 8.0 % and 3.6 % , respectively , of orlistat-treated patients , compared with 0.9 % of placebo-treated patients for each vitamin type . After 1 y , the decrease in vitamin E and β carotene was significantly greater in orlistat-treated patients compared with those receiving placebo ( P<0.001 ) . No significant change was found in the mean vitamin E : total cholesterol ratio in either group after 52 weeks . Conclusions : Orlistat , in conjunction with a low-energy diet , produced greater and more frequent significant weight loss  than placebo during 1 y of treatment . One-third of orlistat-treated patients achieved clinical ly relevant weight loss ( ≥5 % initial body weight ) . There was also an improvement in relevant serum lipid parameters . Fat-soluble vitamin supplements may be required during chronic therapy . Orlistat was well tolerated and offers a promising new approach to the long-term management of obesity
Orlistat  reduced body weight ( weighted mean difference : −2.12 , p < 0.001 ) , total‐cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.30 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.27 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.034 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) and triglyceride ( weighted mean difference : −0.09 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) concentrations , while no effect on lipoprotein(a ) was observed .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol‐lowering were associated negatively with duration of orlistat treatment and positively with body weight changes .
In conclusion , Orlistat treatment slightly reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels , but not lipoprotein(a ) levels .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels reductions are more consistent in patients with greater body weight reduction and shorter duration of orlistat treatment .
We investigated the efficacy of orlistat on plasma lipids and body weight in a meta‐ analysis of 33 studies including 9732  participants .Orlistat  was associated with a slight but significant decrease in body weight , plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations , whereas plasma Lp(a ) levels were not affected by orlistat treatment .
Greater body weight reduction and lower duration of orlistat treatment promoted more consistent plasma total‐ and LDL‐cholesterol lowering
& NA ; Orlistat , an inhibitor of intestinal lipase , promotes body weight reduction .
The lipid‐lowering efficacy of orlistat is controversial and the effect of orlistat‐induced body weight reduction on lipid changes has not been explored in meta‐regression analyses .
HighlightsOrlistat is an inhibitor of intestinal lipase promoting body weight reduction , but whose lipid‐lowering efficacy is controversial .