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The sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor drug dapagliflozin, extensively used to deal with kind 2 diabetes, additionally exhibits enhancements for sufferers with progressive liver illness, finds a scientific trial from China revealed by The BMJ.
The outcomes present that remedy with dapagliflozin improved metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)—a situation the place extra fats accumulates within the liver, resulting in irritation—and liver fibrosis (a construct up of scar tissue) in contrast with placebo.
MASH impacts greater than 5% of adults, greater than 30% of people with diabetes or weight problems, and may progress to cirrhosis in as much as 25% of people.
A number of research have reported that SGLT-2 inhibitors can enhance liver fats content material, liver enzymes, and liver stiffness, however no trial has been carried out amongst sufferers with MASH.
To deal with this, researchers enrolled 154 adults (common age 35; 85% males) identified with MASH after a liver biopsy at six medical facilities in China from November 2018 to March 2023.
Nearly half (45%) had kind 2 diabetes, and nearly all had liver fibrosis (33% stage 1, 45% stage 2, 19% stage 3).
After an preliminary screening biopsy, individuals had been randomly assigned to obtain 10 mg of dapagliflozin or matching placebo as soon as day by day for 48 weeks and attended well being schooling classes twice a 12 months.
Varied elements together with physique weight, blood stress, blood glucose, liver enzymes, bodily exercise, eating regimen, insulin, and lipids had been additionally assessed at enrollment and all through the trial.
MASH enchancment was outlined as a lower of no less than 2 factors in non-alcoholic fatty liver illness exercise rating (NAS) or a NAS of three factors or much less.
After an finish of research biopsy at week 48, 53% (41 of 78) individuals within the dapagliflozin group confirmed enchancment in MASH with out worsening of fibrosis (outlined as no enhance in fibrosis stage) in contrast with 30% (23 of 76) within the placebo group.
Decision of MASH with out worsening of fibrosis occurred in 23% (18 of 78) individuals within the dapagliflozin group in contrast with 8% (6 of 76) within the placebo group.
Fibrosis enchancment with out worsening of MASH was additionally reported in 45% (35 of 78) individuals within the dapagliflozin group in contrast with 20% (15 of 76) within the placebo group.
The proportion of individuals who discontinued remedy due to hostile occasions was 1% (1 of 78) within the dapagliflozin group and three% (2 of 76) within the placebo group.
The researchers acknowledge that the trial was performed in a Chinese language inhabitants, which limits its broader generalizability, and that feminine and older sufferers had been under-represented. However they level out that outcomes had been constant after additional analyses, suggesting they’re strong.
As such, they conclude, “Our findings indicate that dapagliflozin may affect key aspects of MASH by improving both steatohepatitis and fibrosis.” Massive-scale and long-term trials are wanted to additional verify these results, they add.
The approaching years are anticipated to be notably thrilling within the area of pharmacological remedy for MASH, say researchers from Argentina in a linked editorial.
As extra medicine change into accessible, therapeutic choices will possible change into more and more tailor-made to particular person affected person profiles, they write. “Ideally, such treatments should provide cardiovascular benefit, have an established safety profile, and be accessible to broad and diverse patient populations,” they conclude.
Extra info:
Impact of dapagliflozin on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: multicentre, double blind, randomised, placebo managed trial, The BMJ (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-083735
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British Medical Journal
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Diabetes drug exhibits advantages for sufferers with liver illness (2025, June 4)
retrieved 4 June 2025
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