Lipids & metabolic liver disease
Factors associated with treatment responses to pioglitazone in patients with steatotic liver disease: A 3‐year prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Regarding liver biochemistry, over 80% of Taiwanese patients with SLD had a pioglitazone response, which was positively associated with female sex and baseline ALT levels. Insulin resistance improved as early as 6 months post-treatment, while liver fibrosis improvement was not observed until 24 months post-treatment. The link between the pioglitazone response and the ALDH2 genotype warrants further investigation.
Study context
- Population
- Taiwanese patients with steatotic liver disease (SLD) treated with pioglitazone (15–30 mg/day); 61.9% men, mean age 54.3 years
- Participants
- 126 patients
- Exposure
- Pioglitazone responders vs non-responders
- Respondersn = 105
- Outcome
- Pioglitazone response (decreased ALT levels) and its predictive factors
- Follow-up
- 6 months post-treatment
Methodological details3-year
- 3-year
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Responders
105
83.3%
Female sex associated with response, OR
4.514
p = .023
Baseline ALT level associated with response, OR (cut-off ≥82 U/L)
1.015
p = .046
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
ALDH2 rs671 GG genotype · lower among responders
P = 0.028
Metabolic and fibrosis changes among responders · 6 to 24 months post-treatment
- Liver biochemistry and HOMA-IR improved from 6 to 24 months post-treatment
- Total cholesterol decreased within 6 months
- HDL-C increased, TG and fibrosis-4 scores decreased only at 24 months post-treatment
Safety
2-year cumulative incidences of cardiovascular events, cancers and hepatic events
- Similar between responders and non-responders
Original publication
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