Table 3: Comparative efficacy of pharmacotherapy from recent meta-analyses of long-term studies in adults (12 months or more).

Drug No. of studies Total subjects Mean weight difference (kg) (95% CI) Reference Rimonabant 4 Placebo: ~1600 Rimonabant: ~2500 4.7 (4.1, 5.3) [9, 57, 58] Orlistat 14 Placebo: 4509 Orlistat: 4948 2.9 (2.5, 3.2) [57, 58] Sibutramine 7 Placebo: 699 Sibutramine: 837 4.2 (3.6, 4.8) [57, 58] Sibutramine Orlistat 5 Sibutramine: 229 Orlistat: 249 3.4 (2.3, 4.6) [59] 5 Bupropion: 618 Placebo: 344 2.8 kg (1.1 to 4.5 kg) [56]

CI: confidence interval; ∗ 6 to 12 month studies. Note: another meta-analysis of 5 studies with rimonabant compared to placebo, did not provide mean weight difference in kg, however the odds ratio was 1.07 (95% CI 0.9, 1.3) [60].