Effects of GLP-1 Agonists on CArdiac Steatosis Evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (LICAS-MR)

Type II diabetes is a known risk factor for heart failure, particularly through the progressive development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Cardiac metabolic parameters, including myocardial steatosis and epicardial fat, are altered in diabetic patients. The development of new anti-diabetics (incretins) has demonstrated protective cardiovascular effects independent of effects on glycemic control for the first time in the history of these therapies. Thus Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists improve the recovery of cardiac function after a heart attack and decrease atheromatous processes. It has also been demonstrated in a diabetic rat model that the administration of Liraglutide, a GLP-1 agonist, leads to normalization of myocardial steatosis associated with beneficial cardiac molecular remodeling involving pro-apoptotic, oxidative and metabolic processes. These beneficial cardiovascular effects were observed in the absence of any changes in blood glucose, insulin levels or body weight.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Type II Diabetes
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: GLP-1 agonists; Procedure: Cardiac MRI; Other: Follow up by phone

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Dijon, France, 21000
    • CHU Dijon Bourgogne

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient who has given his consent
• Adult patient over 50 years of age Type II diabetic treated without modification of the antidiabetic treatment during the previous 3 months
• HbA1c ≥ 7%.
• Patient for whom a decision to start a GLP-1 agonist treatment has been made (Liraglutide, Semaglutide, Dulaglutide).
• At least one risk factor from among:
• Treated hypertension,
• treated dyslipidemia,
• History of obesity (BMI>30 kg/m2)
• Active smoking (from 1 cigarette per day) or smoking cessation for less than 3 years,
• Coronary heredity (myocardial infarction or sudden death before age 55 in father/brother, myocardial infarction or sudden death before age 65 in mother/sister)

Exclusion Criteria:

- Protected adult Patient not affiliated to a national health insurance scheme Pregnant or breastfeeding woman Women who intend to become pregnant or of childbearing age and do not use adequate contraceptive methods.

Antidiabetic treatment of the incretin family (DPP4 inhibitor except sitagliptin) Severe renal failure (clearance <30ml/min according to Cockroft due to gadolinium injection) Claustrophobia / contraindication to MRI (compatible non-MRI implanted metallic material) History of hypersensitivity to gadoteric acid or gadolinium-based contrast agents and meglumine Hypersensitivity to Liraglutide, Semaglutide, Dulaglutide or any of the excipients History or presence of pancreatitis (acute or chronic) Chronic inflammatory bowel disease Diabetic gastroparesis Dysthyroidism

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Patients

Drug: GLP-1 agonists; Liraglutide: 6 mg/ml Semaglutide: 1.34 mg/ml Dulaglutide: de 0.75 mg ou 1.5 mg; Procedure: Cardiac MRI; T3 myocardial MRI (total acquisition time : 1h) performed before initiation of treatment and measuring the concentration of intramyocardial triglycerides ([TG] by NMR spectroscopy, parameters of cardiac morphology (myocardial mass, (epicardial fat surface, pericardial fat surface), function (LVEF, SV, TDV, PFR, TPFR) and tissue parameters (extracellular volume, left myocardial fibrosis volume).; Other: Follow up by phone; at 2 and 4 mois

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from Baseline Concentration of intramyocardial triglycerides at 6 months	Intramyocardial triglyceride concentration, expressed in %, evaluated by NMR spectroscopy	Month 6

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Houbachi L, Walker PM, Fournel I, Ksiazek E, Petit JM, Cochet A, Leclercq T, Roger A, Simoneau I, Bouillet B, Guenancia C. Evolution of myocardial steatosis in high cardiovascular risk T2DM patients treated by GLP1 receptor agonists: LICAS study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2025 Mar;221:112017. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112017. Epub 2025 Feb 1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 16, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 6, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): December 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 30, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 6, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): April 13, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 4, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 2, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Metabolic Diseases; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Diabetes Mellitus; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Hypoglycemic Agents; Pharmacologic Actions; Chemical Actions and Uses; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
• Other Study ID Numbers: GUENANCIA APJ 2016

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No