Empagliflozin for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. 2020

Lee-Lee Lai, and Shireene Ratna Vethakkan, and Nik Raihan Nik Mustapha, and Sanjiv Mahadeva, and Wah-Kheong Chan
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel class of drugs that lower glucose by inducing renal glycosuria. We aimed to explore whether SGLT2 inhibitor added to the usual care for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) will benefit NASH histology. In this investigator-initiated, single-arm, open-label, pilot study, nine biopsy-proven NASH patients with T2DM were given empagliflozin 25 mg daily for 24 weeks. Liver biopsy was repeated at the end of treatment. The histological outcomes were compared with the placebo group of a previous 48-week clinical trial. There was a significant reduction in body mass index (median change, Δ = -0.7 kg per m2, p = 0.011), waist circumference (Δ = -3 cm, p = 0.033), systolic blood pressure (Δ = -9 mmHg, p = 0.024), diastolic blood pressure (Δ = -6 mmHg, p = 0.033), fasting blood glucose (Δ = -1.7 mmol/L, p = 0.008), total cholesterol (Δ = -0.5 mmol/L, p = 0.011), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (Δ = -19 U/L, p = 0.013), volumetric liver fat fraction (Δ = -7.8%, p = 0.017), steatosis (Δ = -1, p = 0.014), ballooning (Δ = -1, p = 0.034), and fibrosis (Δ = 0, p = 0.046). All histological components either remained unchanged or improved, except in one patient who had worsening ballooning. Empagliflozin resulted in significantly greater improvements in steatosis (67% vs. 26%, p = 0.025), ballooning (78% vs. 34%, p = 0.024), and fibrosis (44% vs. 6%, p = 0.008) compared with historical placebo. This pilot study provides primary histological evidence that empagliflozin may be useful for the treatment of NASH. This preliminary finding should prompt larger clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of empagliflozin and other SGLT2 inhibitors for the treatment of NASH in T2DM patients. Trial registry number ClincialTrials.gov number, NCT02964715.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007004 Hypoglycemic Agents Substances which lower blood glucose levels. Antidiabetic,Antidiabetic Agent,Antidiabetic Drug,Antidiabetics,Antihyperglycemic,Antihyperglycemic Agent,Hypoglycemic,Hypoglycemic Agent,Hypoglycemic Drug,Antidiabetic Agents,Antidiabetic Drugs,Antihyperglycemic Agents,Antihyperglycemics,Hypoglycemic Drugs,Hypoglycemic Effect,Hypoglycemic Effects,Hypoglycemics,Agent, Antidiabetic,Agent, Antihyperglycemic,Agent, Hypoglycemic,Agents, Antidiabetic,Agents, Antihyperglycemic,Agents, Hypoglycemic,Drug, Antidiabetic,Drug, Hypoglycemic,Drugs, Antidiabetic,Drugs, Hypoglycemic,Effect, Hypoglycemic,Effects, Hypoglycemic
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010865 Pilot Projects Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work. Pilot Studies,Pilot Study,Pilot Project,Project, Pilot,Projects, Pilot,Studies, Pilot,Study, Pilot
D001786 Blood Glucose Glucose in blood. Blood Sugar,Glucose, Blood,Sugar, Blood
D001794 Blood Pressure PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS. Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D002784 Cholesterol The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils. Epicholesterol
D003924 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 A subclass of DIABETES MELLITUS that is not INSULIN-responsive or dependent (NIDDM). It is characterized initially by INSULIN RESISTANCE and HYPERINSULINEMIA; and eventually by GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE; HYPERGLYCEMIA; and overt diabetes. Type II diabetes mellitus is no longer considered a disease exclusively found in adults. Patients seldom develop KETOSIS but often exhibit OBESITY. Diabetes Mellitus, Adult-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Ketosis-Resistant,Diabetes Mellitus, Maturity-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Slow-Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Stable,MODY,Maturity-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,NIDDM,Diabetes Mellitus, Non Insulin Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Noninsulin Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Noninsulin-Dependent,Diabetes Mellitus, Type II,Maturity-Onset Diabetes,Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Type 2 Diabetes,Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus,Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Diabetes Mellitus, Adult Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Ketosis Resistant,Diabetes Mellitus, Maturity Onset,Diabetes Mellitus, Slow Onset,Diabetes, Maturity-Onset,Diabetes, Type 2,Ketosis-Resistant Diabetes Mellitus,Maturity Onset Diabetes,Maturity Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Noninsulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,Slow-Onset Diabetes Mellitus,Stable Diabetes Mellitus
D005260 Female Females

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