Dapagliflozin shows positive impact on type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Dapagliflozin demonstrates significant benefits in improving hepatic function and glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to a meta-analysis. The study, which included 4 randomized controlled trials, found that dapagliflozin treatment led to a notable reduction in key markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), fasting glucose, and HbA1c.

These positive outcomes suggest that dapagliflozin may play a role in managing the complex interplay between type 2 diabetes and NAFLD, providing potential therapeutic benefits for affected patients.

In the studies, patients treated with dapagliflozin exhibited a noteworthy reduction in ALT with a standard mean difference (SMD) of -1.27 (95% CI -1.60 to -0.95; P < 0.00001) and aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) with an SMD of -1.37 (95% CI -2.08 to -0.65; P = 0.0002). In addition, fasting glucose levels saw a decrease (SMD -0.78; 95% CI -1.28 to -0.27; P = 0.003), along with a reduction in HbA1c (SMD -0.77; 95% CI -1.21 to -0.34; P = 0.0005). However, dapagliflozin showed no significant impact on homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance an SMD of -0.36 (95% CI -0.86 to 0.14; P = 0.16).

Reference
Hu C, Qu T, Li L, et al. Therapeutic outcome of dapagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Afr Health Sci. 2023;23(2):416-421. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v23i2.48. PMID: 38223613; PMCID: PMC10782340.