OBJECTIVES: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), commonly occurring in individuals with obesity, results in increased healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs. This study analyzed the impact of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) on OSA incidence, HCRU, and cost among US patients with obesity.

METHODS: Utilizing Kythera data, a retrospective cohort study from November 2022 to June 2024 was performed. Patients with obesity and AOM use were identified based on diagnosis claims and prescription claim(s) for Zepbound or Wegovy (identification period: 11/1/2023-12/31/2023), with 6 months of follow-up to measure OSA incidence, HCRU, and cost. Patients with pre-existing history of OSA and prior AOM use were excluded. Multivariable analyses adjusted for comorbidities, and sociodemographic factors were employed to assess the incidence of OSA, HCRU, and cost.

RESULTS: We identified 20,384 patients for the AOM cohort (Wegovy: 17,859; Zepbound: 2,525) and 85,018 patients in the non-AOM cohort. AOM users had a significantly lower incidence of OSA (3.12%) compared to non-AOM users (12.56%, p<0.0001). AOM users also had lower hospital admission rates (1.75% vs 7.41%, p<0.0001), shorter length of stay (0.15 days vs 1.55 days, p<0.0001), and lower ED visit (6.55% vs 13.52%, p<0.0001) and outpatient visit rates (79.91% vs 81.96%, p<0.0001). Total health expenditures were also lower for AOM users than non-AOM users ($7,965.56 vs $10,133.50, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: AOM use is associated with lower OSA incidence, reduced HCRU, and lower healthcare-related expenditures. These results highlight the importance of how newly approved medications for obesity can potentially alleviate the disease and economic burden of OSA.