Table 3.
Clinical, Metabolic, and Liver Histologic Profile Before and After 18 Months in Patients Already Receiving Statin Therapy at Enrollment and Only Receiving Placebo During the Trial
| Variable |
Patients Already Receiving a Statin at Enrollment (n = 18) |
P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| At Enrollment | After 18 Months | ||
| BMI, kg/m2 | 35.1 ± 1.5 | 34.9 ± 1.4 | 0.77 |
| Liver fat by 1H-MRS, % | 14 ± 3 | 12 ± 2 | 0.40 |
| ALT, IU/L | 46 ± 7 | 39 ± 4 | 0.22 |
| AST, IU/L | 33 ± 2 | 32 ± 3 | 0.91 |
| Patients with ALT > 40 IU/L, % | 50 | 39 | 0.50 |
| Hemoglobin A1c, % | 6.7 ± 0.3 | 6.4 ± 0.2 | 0.05 |
| Total cholesterol, mg/dL | 155 ± 7 | 148 ± 9 | 0.55 |
| Triglycerides, mg/dL | 137 (79–196) | 137 (88–198) | 0.96 |
| HDL-C, mg/dL | 39 ± 2 | 40 ± 2 | 0.47 |
| LDL-C, mg/dL | 84 ± 5 | 79 ± 8 | 0.59 |
| Muscle insulin sensitivity (Rd, mg/kg LBM per min) | 4.4 ± 0.3 | 5.1 ± 0.5 | 0.15 |
| Suppression of EGP, % | 42 ± 5 | 39 ± 6 | 0.49 |
| Suppression of FFA, % | 39 ± 6 | 42 ± 7 | 0.61 |
| NAFLD activity score | 4.8 ± 0.2 | 4.3 ± 0.3 | 0.16 |
| Steatosis grade | 2.0 ± 0.2 | 2.0 ± 0.2 | 0.99 |
| Inflammation grade | 1.9 ± 0.1 | 1.6 ± 0.1 | 0.06 |
| Ballooning grade | 0.9 ± 0.1 | 0.7 ± 0.1 | 0.27 |
| Fibrosis stage | 1.1 ± 0.2 | 1.1 ± 0.2 | 0.85 |
Numeric variables are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean, except for triglycerides, which are expressed as median (interquantile range). Qualitative data are expressed as percentages. P values were calculated with χ2 or Fisher exact test for categorical variables and paired t test or Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test depending on the variable’s distribution for continuous variables. EGP, endogenous glucose production; FFA, free fatty acid; LBM, lean body mass; Rd, insulin-stimulated glucose disposal.