Improvement in liver histology due to lifestyle modification is independently associated with improved kidney function in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Several recent studies have shown a strong association between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and chronic kidney disease. AIM: To examine the relationship between changes in liver histology and renal function in patients with NASH. METHODS: The present analysis represents a post hoc analysis of a recently published trial that included 261 patients with NASH who were treated with lifestyle modifications during 52 weeks. Kidney function was evaluated through Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m2 ) overtime. We explored correlations between the kidney function and improvement in histological outcomes at 52 weeks. RESULTS: Interestingly, a one-stage reduction in fibrosis (r = 0.20, P < 0.01) and resolution of NASH (r = 0.17, P < 0.01) were significantly correlated with an improvement in the kidney function. The eGFR values significantly increased in patients with fibrosis improvement (+7.6 ± 6.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 ), compared to those without fibrosis improvement (-1.98 ± 6.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 ) (P < 0.01) at end of treatment (EOT). Likewise, NASH resolution was associated with an increase in eGFR compared with patients without NASH resolution (2.32 ± 7.8 mL/min/1.73 m2 vs. -1.04 ± 5.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 , P = 0.04) at EOT. After controlling for the confounders, the association between fibrosis improvement, NASH resolution and eGFR change remained significant (P < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in liver histology due to lifestyle modification is independently associated with improved kidney function in NASH. As new drugs for NASH emerge, studies should address whether improvement in histology in response to pharmacotherapies yield the same improvement in kidney function as weight loss.

Clinical trial: a nutritional supplement Viusid, in combination with diet and exercise, in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant health problem for which there is no universally accepted pharmacological treatment. The combination of weight loss and antioxidant drugs to ameliorate insulin resistance and improve steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis provides the rational for therapeutic trials. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a nutritional supplement Viusid in association with diet and exercise for NAFLD. METHODS: A randomized, controlled and parallel-group trial was conducted at a tertiary care academic centre (National Institute of Gastroenterology, Havana, Cuba). We randomly assigned 60 patients with liver biopsy-proven NAFLD to 6 months of treatment with a hypocaloric diet plus aerobic exercise daily and three Viusid sachets daily or a hypocaloric diet and exercise. Endpoints were improvement in the NAFLD activity score (NAS), fibrosis and normalization of serum aminotransferase levels. RESULTS: A significant improvement in steatosis, necroinflammation and fibrosis was seen in each group of treatment (P < 0.01 for each feature). The Viusid group, as compared with the control group, significantly reduced the mean of NAS [from 4.18 to 0.54 points in the Viusid group vs. 4.45 to 2.2 points in the control group (P < 0.001)]. On between-group comparison, Viusid was found to be associated with a significantly greater improvement in steatosis (P < 0.001), ballooning (P = 0.002) and lobular inflammation (P = 0.025), but not in fibrosis (P = 0.07). Viusid was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that treatment with diet and exercise leads to a notable improvement in the histological features of NAFLD; however, the administration of Viusid intensifies the improvements of histological findings, especially of steatosis and inflammation.