Pyoglitazone for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: To systematically asses the evidence about the effectiveness of prescribing pioglitazone to prevent non alcoholic esteatohepatitis in patient with glucose intolerance

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, LILACS, ACP journal club, EBM, books.

Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials that evaluated the prescribing of pioglitazone to patient with carbohydrate intolerance compared against placebo or another treatment and the measured improvement of the non alcoholic esteatohepatistis picture.

Main.Results: A total of 2 studies were included in this systematic revision of the literature, and the following outcomes were evaluated: glicemic control and glucose tolerance, pioglitazone showed an increase in the hepatic sensibility to insulin, an increase in the purification of glucose and a decrease in the quantity of free fatty acids, lowering of the hepatic levels of aspartate and alanin aminotransferase. Histologic improvement was also evidenced, diminishing the hepatic content of fat improving this way the steatosis, cytologic ballooning and the inflammation.