Pioglitazone in the treatment of NASH: the role of adiponectin

Summary Background Plasma adiponectin is decreased in NASH patients and the mechanism(s) for histological improvement during thiazolidinedione treatment remain(s) poorly understood. Aim To evaluate the relationship between changes in plasma adiponectin following pioglitazone treatment and metabolic/histological improvement. Methods We measured in 47 NASH patients and 20 controls: (i) fasting glucose, insulin, FFA and adiponectin concentrations; (ii) hepatic fat content by magnetic resonance spectroscopy; and (iii) peripheral/hepatic insulin sensitivity (by double‐tracer oral glucose tolerance test). Patients were then treated with pioglitazone (45 mg/day) or placebo and all measurements were repeated after 6 months. Results Patients with NASH had decreased plasma adiponectin levels independent of the presence of obesity. Pioglitazone increased 2.3‐fold plasma adiponectin and improved insulin resistance, glucose tolerance and glucose clearance, steatosis and necroinflammation (all P