1. Effect of pemafibrate on fatty acid levels and liver enzymes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with dyslipidemia: A single-arm, pilot study
- Author
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Aya Takahashi, Seita Kataoka, Takeshi Okanoue, Kanji Yamaguchi, Yoshito Itoh, Yuya Seko, Keiichiroh Okuda, Kota Yano, Atsushi Umemura, Shinya Okishio, and Michihisa Moriguchi
- Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Hepatology ,Triglyceride ,Cholesterol ,business.industry ,Fatty liver ,Fatty acid ,medicine.disease ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Infectious Diseases ,Endocrinology ,chemistry ,Internal medicine ,Saturated fatty acid ,medicine ,Liver function ,business ,Unsaturated fatty acid ,Polyunsaturated fatty acid - Abstract
Aim Dyslipidemia (DL) is commonly associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Pemafibrate, a selective peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α modulator (SPPARMα), has been shown to improve liver function among patients with DL. The aim of this single-arm prospective study is to evaluate the efficacy of pemafibrate in NAFLD patients with DL. Methods Twenty NAFLD patients with DL who received pemafibrate (0.1 mg) twice a day for 12 weeks were prospectively enrolled in this study. The primary end-point was change in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels from baseline to week 12. Results Serum ALT levels decreased from 75.1 IU/L at baseline to 43.6 IU/L at week 12 (P = 0.001). Significant improvements in triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total fatty acid, saturated fatty acid (SFA), and unsaturated fatty acid were also noted. The serum level of remnant-like protein cholesterol, SFA, and polyunsaturated / saturated fatty acid ratio (PUFA / SFA ratio) at baseline were correlated with change in ALT level (r = -0.53, r = -0.57, and r = 0.46, respectively). Change in PUFA and change in PUFA / SFA ratio were negatively correlated with change in ALT level (r = -0.49 and r = -0.53). No hepatic or renal adverse events were reported. Conclusions Selective peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α could be a promising novel agent for treatment of NAFLD patients with DL by regulating fatty acid composition. A further long-term large-scale trial is warranted to confirm the efficacy of SPPARMα on NAFLD with DL.
- Published
- 2020