Steatohepatitis/Metabolic Liver Disease News

Adults with type 1 diabetes assigned to a mealtime, liver-targeted insulin using hepatocyte-directed vesicle technology for 6 months experienced a similar reduction in HbA1c when compared with similar adults assigned to insulin lispro, according to findings published in Diabetes Care.

Researchers identified a link between the presence and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children with reduced whole-body bone mineral density, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Recently published data reveal an inadequate public health response to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in European countries, according to a study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

Approximately 30% of Americans have fatty liver, but only a small proportion have progressed to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. One of the complications that we face in finding these patients is that our current treatment guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease do not recommend routine screening. Additionally, it is not feasible to send every patient with potential risk factors for an invasive procedure like liver biopsy. What we have at our disposal, however, are some very simple noninvasive biomarkers and tools to help stratify which patients should be followed for fatty liver and its progression.

Specialists from all medical fields have become more aware over the last few decades about how one disease can feed the development of others and that the need for co-management is crucial to optimize patient quality of life and life expectancy. As the incidence and prevalence of fatty liver disease grows in the U.S. and around the world, prevention of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and commonly concurrent advanced fibrosis has become a concern outside of the field of hepatology.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is an increasingly common cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related mortality. Along its progression, severe nonalcoholic steatohepatitis includes the development of clinically significant or advanced fibrosis. Currently, there are no approved therapeutics to treat this disease, but that will be changing soon.

Poxel SA announced the initiation of a phase 1b trial designed to investigate PXL065 for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in patients without cirrhosis, according to a press release.

The negative effects of obesity on overall health have been well-established along with the increasing rates throughout both the U.S. and internationally. Obesity as a comorbidity in liver disease can affect progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and compound alcohol-related liver complications. Recent studies have also shown that obesity in liver disease may have a more complex pathophysiology than previously thought.

Fractyl Laboratories announced positive topline results from the phase 2 trial of Revita duodenal mucosal resurfacing, or DMR, a minimally invasive outpatient procedural therapy for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, according to a press release.

Researchers found that patients with “lean” nonalcoholic fatty liver disease had altered gut microbiota profiles along with higher bile acid and fibroblast growth factor 19, or FGF19, levels compared with patients with overweight or obesity.