Lipids & metabolic liver disease

Factors associated with treatment responses to pioglitazone in patients with steatotic liver disease: A 3‐year prospective cohort study

Diabetes Obes MetabPublished 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

Pioglitazone response (decreased ALT)

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

Factors associated with treatment responses to pioglitazone in patients with steatotic liver disease: A 3‐year prospective cohort study. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 29 April 2024. doi:10.1111/dom.15622

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