A study shows that an intestinal hormone could reduce the fat that accumulates in the liver when you gain weight, and prevent the progression to cirrhosis. A new treatment could be considered.
A new treatment to avoid liver cirrhosis, a fibrosis or inflammation of the organ? This is the hope sparked by a recent clinical trial.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that low doses of a gut hormone, called NGM282, lowered fat in the liver in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
A disease caused by an overload of fat in liver cells unrelated to alcohol intake, which results in an increase in the size of the organ.
Currently there is no treatment
The risk factors for developing these liver diseases are numerous: overweight, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol levels … Patients with fatty liver disease, or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, can develop cirrhosis , fibrosis or inflammation of the liver. This study, published in The Lancet at the beginning of March, paves the way for a cure for these liver diseases. Currently, there is no validated treatment.
The researchers conducted their clinical study on 166 patients, aged 18 to 75, with one of her two liver diseases. They gave them either 3 milligrams of the intestinal molecule NGM282, or 6 milligrams, or a placebo treatment. All this once a day. The patients were followed every two weeks for three months.
Ultimately, the researchers observed the results using an MRI in each patient. Those who received doses of the intestinal molecule NGM282 had between 5 and 30% less fat in the liver.
The intestinal molecule has side effects
However, the patients who received the intestinal hormone NMG282 had side effects: local pain at the time of the injection, diarrhea, abdominal pain or even nausea.
Other clinical trials must therefore be carried out to consider a treatment based on this intestinal molecule.
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