GLP-1RA improves liver steatosis, fibrosis

Treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) leads to improvement in liver steatosis and fibrosis, results of a study have shown. GLP-1RA also provides benefits to metabolic syndrome by reducing body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and hyperlipidaemia.

Earlier clinical trials that examined the therapeutic benefits of GLP-1RA on patients with metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) had reported inconsistent results, according to the investigators.

To address this, a systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out. The investigators searched the databases of PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials comparing GLP-1RA with control treatment in patients with MAFLD published until 30 July 2020. They then examined the effects of GLP-1RA on liver histology, BMI, WC, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols.

Thirteen trials including a total of 704 patients met the eligibility criteria. The meta-analysis revealed that treatment with GLP-1RA resulted in a higher resolution of steatohepatitis (relative risk [RR], 2.87, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.89–9.23), delayed the progression of liver fibrosis (RR, 3.83, 95 percent CI, 0.91–16.07), and reduced liver fat deposition (mean difference [MD], –1.40, 95 percent CI, –2.75 to ­–0.05) when compared with the control treatment.

GLP-1RA also reduced BMI (MD, –1.15, 95 percent CI, –2.26 to –0.04) and WC (MD, –3.33, 95 percent CI, –6.31 to –0.35) as well as improved serum aspartate aminotransferase (MD, –3.04, 95 percent CI, –5.93 to –0.16) and total cholesterol (MD, –0.20, 95 percent CI, –0.28 to –0.13).