Guest guest Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 VITAMIN E FOR FATTY LIVER? , Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH or fatty liver) can turn into cirrhosis. At this time, there is no treatment for the condition. Researchers studied 247 non-diabetic patients with NASH, and divided them into 3 pioglitazone, a second group received 800 IU a day of vitamin E, and a third group received a placebo. Treatment lasted for 96 weeks. The researchers hoped to find improvement based on standard scores for steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis (scarring). 43% of patients in the vitamin E group showed improvement in fatty liver, compared to 34% of those taking pioglitazone and 19% taking placebo. AST and ALT levels were reduced in the vitamin E and the pioglitazone groups, compared to placebo, and both of those treatments showed reduced steatosis and inflammation, but no improvement in fibrosis or portal inflammation. Pioglitazone had improved insulin resistance, patients gained more weight than the other two groups. The insulin resistance returned to baseline levels after treatment, but the weight did not. ... The researchers concluded that vitamin E treatment was better than placebo for NASH patients without diabetes, and that there was some benefit related to pioglitazone, as well. It is thought that the patients will relapse if they discontinue the treatments. /. Source: Arun J. Sanyal, M.D, et al, NEJM April 28 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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