Effects of pentoxifylline on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A meta-analysis

AIM: To evaluate the effects of pentoxifylline therapy in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

AIM:To evaluate the effects of pentoxifylline therapy in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).METHODS:We searched PubMed,Medline,Google Scholar,Embase,Web of Science,the Cochrane Library and the Chinese Biomedicine Database for all relevant controlled trials of pentoxifylline in patients with NAFLD from 1997 to July 2013.Five studies(3 randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled trials and 2 prospective cohort studies with concurrent controls)were included in this meta-analysis.Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0 software.RESULTS:Five randomized trials of 147 patients with NAFLD/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)were included.The results showed that compared to placebo,pentoxifylline therapy resulted in a signi?cant decrease in body weight(P=0.04),alanine aminotransferase (P<0.00001),aspartate transaminase(P=0.0006),glucose(P=0.0008)and tumor necrosis factor-α(P=0.007),but did not significantly affect body mass index(P=0.28),total cholesterol(P=0.80),triglyceride(P=0.98),alkaline phosphatase(P=0.29),γ-glutamyl transferase(P=0.39)and interleukin-6(P=0.38).With regard to histological changes,pentoxifylline only reduced the NAFLD activity score(P<0.00001)and improved lobular inflammation(P<0.0001).Improvements in steatosis grade(P=0.11),ballooning(P=0.10)and fibrosis(P=0.50)were not obvious.CONCLUSION:Pentoxifylline therapy results in weight loss,improved liver function and histological changes in patients with NAFLD/NASH.Therefore,pentoxifylline may be a new treatment option for NAFLD.