A pilot study of pioglitazone treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis† ‡

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common chronic liver disease for which there is no known effective therapy. A proportion of patients with NASH progress to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. NASH is considered one of the clinical features of the metabolic syndrome in which insulin resistance plays a central role. This prospective study evaluates the role of insulin-sensitizing agent in treatment of NASH. Eighteen nondiabetic patients with biopsy-proven NASH were treated with pioglitazone (30 mg daily) for 48 weeks. Tests of insulin sensitivity and body composition as well as liver biopsies were performed before and at the end of treatment. By 48 weeks, serum alanine aminotransferase values fell to normal…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: Z01-HD-00641
• NC
  NIH Clinical Center
• NI
  National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities