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Evidence · Journal club · continued

Journal club: indirect comparison between two programmes, defended and attacked posts 91–120

This is a continuation of a long topic, addressed by post number rather than by page. Start at post 1.

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l.lundgrenTL2 Moderator19 Jun 2026#91
so.cardoso, post #87: SURPASS-2 (N Engl J Med 2021): Direct comparison of tirzepatide with semaglutide 1.0 mg. The 1.0 mg dose is not the highest available, which is the central and legitimate criticism of the head-to-head evidence. Go to post

SURMOUNT-OSA (N Engl J Med 2024): Tirzepatide in obstructive sleep apnoea, using an objective physiological endpoint. Notable because soft endpoints are avoided. Two parallel trials addressed the confounder directly.

0 likes in reply to #87 1mo
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TamburelloTL2Member20 Jun 2026#92

PIONEER 6 (N Engl J Med 2019): Cardiovascular safety trial for oral semaglutide, not efficacy. Non-inferiority for safety was met. The trial was not designed to establish benefit, though point estimates favoured the drug.

4 likes 1mo
VO
v.okonkwoTL2 Moderator21 Jun 2026#93

Picking up post #90: that is the part I would want checked first.

For anyone arriving from a search: the marked solution above is the direct answer, and the replies underneath it add the caveats that make it safe to use.

18 likes 1mo
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FFaulknerTL3Regular22 Jun 2026#94

Session format: read the paper before posting. The discussion is much better when everyone has. Start with the estimand and population, then methods, then results, then limitations. That order makes critique coherent.

0 likes 1mo
HR
h.ramosTL2 Moderator23 Jun 2026 · edited#95
n.torrence, post #7: PIONEER 6 (N Engl J Med 2019): Cardiovascular safety trial for oral semaglutide, not efficacy. Non-inferiority for safety was met. The trial was not designed to establish benefit, though point estimates favoured the drug. Go to post

SELECT (N Engl J Med 2023): Semaglutide cardiovascular outcomes without diabetes. The first outcome trial in people without diabetes, which decoupled the cardiovascular argument from glucose control. Read the absolute numbers, not just the relative reduction.

0 likes in reply to #7 1mo
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CSagredoTL3Regular24 Jun 2026#96
septum_check, post #28: SELECT (N Engl J Med 2023): Semaglutide cardiovascular outcomes without diabetes. The first outcome trial in people without diabetes, which decoupled the cardiovascular argument from glucose control. Read the absolute numbers, not just the relative reduction. Go to post

Worth separating two things that post #92 runs together.

SURMOUNT-1 (N Engl J Med 2022): Tirzepatide obesity trial. The largest mean weight reduction for a pharmacological intervention at publication. Read the categorical thresholds carefully — they can exaggerate separation.

1 like in reply to #28 1mo
RM
r.molnarTL2 Moderator25 Jun 2026#97

STEP 1 (N Engl J Med 2021): The pivotal obesity trial for semaglutide and the reference point for most subsequent comparison. Mean weight reduction was substantially larger than anything previously achieved pharmacologically.

12 likes 1mo
CI
c.inglethorpeTL3Regular26 Jun 2026#98

Two things before anyone answers the substance.

First, the context in the first post is clear and specific. Second, the question is framed so that an answer can actually address it. Both are the norm here and both matter more than they sound.

25 likes 1mo
SC
s.chowdhuryTL3Regular27 Jun 2026#99

post #98 answers the question as asked. The question underneath it is different.

For anyone arriving from a search: the marked solution above is the direct answer, and the replies underneath it add the caveats that make it safe to use.

0 likes 1mo
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IRenaudinTL2Member28 Jun 2026#100
r.molnar, post #97: STEP 1 (N Engl J Med 2021): The pivotal obesity trial for semaglutide and the reference point for most subsequent comparison. Mean weight reduction was substantially larger than anything previously achieved pharmacologically. Go to post

On post #96 — agreed on the reasoning, with one qualification.

SELECT (N Engl J Med 2023): Semaglutide cardiovascular outcomes without diabetes. The first outcome trial in people without diabetes, which decoupled the cardiovascular argument from glucose control. Read the absolute numbers, not just the relative reduction.

0 likes in reply to #97 30d
AP
ar.petrovTL2 Moderator29 Jun 2026#101

Session format: read the paper before posting. The discussion is much better when everyone has. Start with the estimand and population, then methods, then results, then limitations. That order makes critique coherent.

14 likes 29d
FF
f.fenwickTL3Regular30 Jun 2026#102

Critical appraisal template: (1) What did the trial set out to estimate? (2) Could the design answer that question? (3) Was the population sufficiently similar to your population to apply the results? (4) What was the absolute effect, not just the relative one? (5) What are the two strongest criticisms available?

28 likes 28d
LA
l.aguirreTL2 Moderator1 Jul 2026#103
PSundberg, post #70: post #69 answers the question as asked. The question underneath it is different. SURPASS-2 (N Engl J Med 2021): Direct comparison of tirzepatide with semaglutide 1.0 mg. The 1.0 mg dose is not the highest available, which is the central and legitimate criticism of the head-to-head evidence. Go to post

PIONEER 6 (N Engl J Med 2019): Cardiovascular safety trial for oral semaglutide, not efficacy. Non-inferiority for safety was met. The trial was not designed to establish benefit, though point estimates favoured the drug.

0 likes in reply to #70 27d
MD
m.duarteTL2 Moderator2 Jul 2026#104
FFaulkner, post #94: Session format: read the paper before posting. The discussion is much better when everyone has. Start with the estimand and population, then methods, then results, then limitations. That order makes critique coherent. Go to post

I read post #102 twice before replying, because I had assumed the opposite.

Having read the exchange above, I think I was wrong earlier in this topic and I want to say so plainly rather than quietly editing.

The correction was fair and I had been repeating something I had not checked carefully enough.

2 likes in reply to #94 26d
OV
o.vogelTL2 Moderator3 Jul 2026#105

SURMOUNT-1 (N Engl J Med 2022): Tirzepatide obesity trial. The largest mean weight reduction for a pharmacological intervention at publication. Read the categorical thresholds carefully — they can exaggerate separation.

9 likes 25d
RV
r.villalobosTL2 Moderator4 Jul 2026#106

FLOW (N Engl J Med 2024): Semaglutide renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Stopped early for efficacy. Component-by-component analysis is essential because the components differ in how patient-important they are.

20 likes 24d
RD
r.danquahTL2 Moderator5 Jul 2026#107

Picking up post #104: that is the part I would want checked first.

SURPASS-2 (N Engl J Med 2021): Direct comparison of tirzepatide with semaglutide 1.0 mg. The 1.0 mg dose is not the highest available, which is the central and legitimate criticism of the head-to-head evidence.

0 likes 23d
KF
k.fonsecaTL2 Moderator6 Jul 2026#108
bench_peak, post #1: Journal club: indirect comparison between two programmes, defended and attacked Writing it up because I had to work it out twice and would rather nobody else did. Comparing SUSTAIN 6 ( N Engl J Med , 2016) with STEP 4 ( JAMA , 2021) and finding the comparison harder than it looks. Different populations, different durations, different… Go to post

Coming back to post #106, because the follow-up matters more than the original answer.

SURMOUNT-OSA (N Engl J Med 2024): Tirzepatide in obstructive sleep apnoea, using an objective physiological endpoint. Notable because soft endpoints are avoided. Two parallel trials addressed the confounder directly.

0 likes in reply to #1 22d
KV
k.vanheckeTL26 Jul 2026#109
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k.perrinTL2 Moderator7 Jul 2026#110
e.lehtinen, post #16: Worth separating two things that post #12 runs together. Practical note that does not fit anywhere else. Whatever you conclude from this topic, write down what you did and when. The single most useful thing in your own records is not any individual result; it is that they are dated and consecutive. Go to post

Worth separating two things that post #106 runs together.

SOUL (N Engl J Med 2025): Oral semaglutide cardiovascular outcomes. Extends the cardiovascular evidence to the oral formulation. Note that oral bioavailability is lower and more variable than injectable.

14 likes in reply to #16 20d
PE
ppm_errorTL3Analytical chemist8 Jul 2026#111

Coming back to post #109, because the follow-up matters more than the original answer.

TRIUMPH (ongoing): Retatrutide phase 3. No results yet. Nothing should be attributed to it because it has not finished. When it does, this discussion will return to it.

8 likes 20d
BV
b.vanheckeTL2 Moderator9 Jul 2026#112
so.cardoso, post #87: SURPASS-2 (N Engl J Med 2021): Direct comparison of tirzepatide with semaglutide 1.0 mg. The 1.0 mg dose is not the highest available, which is the central and legitimate criticism of the head-to-head evidence. Go to post

Picking up post #109: that is the part I would want checked first.

FLOW (N Engl J Med 2024): Semaglutide renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Stopped early for efficacy. Component-by-component analysis is essential because the components differ in how patient-important they are.

2 likes in reply to #87 19d
MS
m.strand_rphTL3Pharmacist10 Jul 2026#113
r.restrepo, post #51: TRIUMPH (ongoing): Retatrutide phase 3. No results yet. Nothing should be attributed to it because it has not finished. When it does, this discussion will return to it. Go to post

SURMOUNT-1 (N Engl J Med 2022): Tirzepatide obesity trial. The largest mean weight reduction for a pharmacological intervention at publication. Read the categorical thresholds carefully — they can exaggerate separation.

0 likes in reply to #51 18d
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d.eriksenTL2 Moderator11 Jul 2026#114

For anyone arriving from a search: the marked solution above is the direct answer, and the replies underneath it add the caveats that make it safe to use.

26 likes 17d
OL
o.lindgrenTL2Regular12 Jul 2026 · edited#115

SURMOUNT-OSA (N Engl J Med 2024): Tirzepatide in obstructive sleep apnoea, using an objective physiological endpoint. Notable because soft endpoints are avoided. Two parallel trials addressed the confounder directly.

4 likes 16d
NC
n.cardosoTL2 Moderator13 Jul 2026#116
KLindqvist, post #78: Practical note that does not fit anywhere else. Whatever you conclude from this topic, write down what you did and when. The single most useful thing in your own records is not any individual result; it is that they are dated and consecutive. Go to post

This follows post #113 rather than contradicting it.

SOUL (N Engl J Med 2025): Oral semaglutide cardiovascular outcomes. Extends the cardiovascular evidence to the oral formulation. Note that oral bioavailability is lower and more variable than injectable.

0 likes in reply to #78 15d
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preregisteredTL3Research methods14 Jul 2026#117

Worth separating two things that post #113 runs together.

Two things before anyone answers the substance.

First, the context in the first post is clear and specific. Second, the question is framed so that an answer can actually address it. Both are the norm here and both matter more than they sound.

0 likes 14d
AP
a.pereiraTL215 Jul 2026#118
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a.kowalczykTL2Regular16 Jul 2026#119

SURPASS-2 (N Engl J Med 2021): Direct comparison of tirzepatide with semaglutide 1.0 mg. The 1.0 mg dose is not the highest available, which is the central and legitimate criticism of the head-to-head evidence.

2 likes 12d
YI
y.ibarraTL2 Moderator17 Jul 2026#120

I disagree with the reply above, and I think the disagreement is substantive rather than terminological.

The distinction being drawn does not survive when you look at the published data for this specific question. I would be glad to be shown wrong on this, because the version I am arguing against is more convenient.

0 likes 11d