GLP-1 RA Reduces Severity of Steatotic Liver Disease in People With HIV

MONDAY, March 18, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For people with HIV (PWH) with metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), semaglutide is associated with absolute and relative declines in intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content, according to a study presented at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, held from March 3 to 6 in Denver.

Jordan E. Lake, M.D., from the University of Texas at Houston, and colleagues designed a phase 2b, single-arm, pilot study to examine the effects of semaglutide on magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction-quantified IHTG content in PWH and MASLD. Adult PWH on suppressive antiretroviral therapy with central adiposity, insulin resistance, or prediabetes and SLD received semaglutide for 24 weeks (49 participants).

The researchers found that semaglutide was well tolerated, with only two grade 3 and no grade 4 possibly related adverse events reported. The mean baseline IHTG was 12.7 percent; mean absolute and relative declines were –4.2 and –31.3 percent, respectively. Overall, 29 percent of participants had complete resolution of MASLD (absolute IHTG <5 percent), and 58 percent had a relative reduction of IHGT of ≥30 percent. For women, Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites, and individuals with increasing age, there were trends seen toward greater improvements in IHTG. There were also significant improvements noted in weight, waist circumference, fasting glucose, and triglyceride concentrations. There was a correlation seen between improvements in IHTG and weight loss on semaglutide.

"Low-dose (1 mg weekly) semaglutide is a safe and effective pharmacologic therapy for MASLD in PWH and shows evidence of broader cardiometabolic benefit," the authors write.

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