Publication:

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (teneligliptin) significantly reduces liver fat content and delays progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Background Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, anti-diabetic agents, are expected to be effective for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Several studies have shown that some DPP-4 inhibitors alleviate hepatic steatosis or steatohepatitis in type 2 diabetic mice or rats. Teneligliptin is DPP4 inhibitor whose efficacy to control blood sugar is well established but its effect on liver is not studied well. In present study we investigated effect of teneligliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor on patients of type 2 diabetes with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Methods This was a randomized, double-blind study in which 64 patients between ages of 18 to 80 years were selected for study. Participants were identified as type 2 diabetes with biopsy confirmed NASH. We excluded the patients with glucocorticoid use, hepatitis B or C, and other diseases that might affect liver function.

Results The mean HbA1c change after 48 weeks of therapy in group A was-1.06 % and in group B was-0.77% and this was statistically insignificant (p>0.06). The mean AST change after 48 weeks of therapy in group A was-45.4% and in group B was-33.3% and this was statistically significant (p<0.001). The mean ALT change after 48 weeks of therapy in group A was-41.6% and in group B was-22.7% and this was statistically significant (p<0.001). The change in liver fat content (LFC) after 48 weeks of therapy in group A was-15.4% and group B was-7.14% and this was also statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusions Result of our study revealed that teneligliptin significantly reduce serum transaminases in patients of NASH with type 2 DM. Teneligliptin significantly reduce LFC and delay progression of NASH independent of diabetes control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. These data show significant antisteatotic and anti-inflammatory effect of teneligliptin in type 2 diabetes patients.