Diabetes Pill Shows Promise in Reducing Liver Scarring, Study Finds

Speedy Summary

• A clinical trial in China has found that the SGLT-2 inhibitor drug dapagliflozin, widely used for treating type 2 diabetes, also improves liver conditions such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and liver fibrosis.
• MASH affects over 5% of adults globally and can lead to cirrhosis in up to 25% of cases. It is notably prevalent among individuals with diabetes or obesity.
• This is the first trial specifically conducted on patients with MASH using dapagliflozin.The study involved 154 adults across six medical centers in China from November 2018 to March 2023.
• Participants were randomly assigned to either a daily dose of dapagliflozin (10 mg) or a placebo for 48 weeks. Additional data such as body weight, blood pressure, glucose levels, and liver health indicators were tracked throughout the study period.
• Key findings:

– Enhancement in MASH without worsening fibrosis was observed in 53% of dapagliflozin users vs. 30% receiving placebo.
– Resolution of MASH occurred in notably more participants taking dapagliflozin (23%) compared to placebo users (8%).
– Fibrosis improvement was reported more frequently among those treated with dapagliflozin (45%) versus placebo group participants (20%).
– Few adverse effects led to treatment discontinuation: only one participant from the dapagliflozin group compared with two from the control group stopped treatment due to adverse events.

researchers noted limitations due to underrepresentation of female and older patients within a Chinese study population but affirmed these preliminary results are robust pending larger-scale studies.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The promising outcomes revealed by this study introduce significant opportunities for addressing advanced liver diseases like MASH alongside existing treatments for diabetes-a condition highly prevalent within India’s growing population combating lifestyle disorders tied obesity/lifestyle type conducations