A recent clinical trial conducted by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and published in JAMA offers new hope in the fight against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the most common chronic liver disease in the U.S.
This condition, often linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes, involves an unhealthy accumulation of fat in the liver, which can lead to severe complications such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
The study, led by Andrew T. Chan, a gastroenterologist and professor at Harvard Medical School, explored the benefits of aspirin, a widely used medication known for its anti-inflammatory properties and effects on fat metabolism.
The trial involved 80 adults diagnosed with MASLD who were randomly assigned to receive either daily low-dose aspirin or a placebo for six months.
The results were promising. The group taking aspirin experienced a significant reduction in liver fat content, averaging a decrease of 6.6%, compared to a 3.6% increase in the placebo group. This translates to a net improvement of 10.2% in reducing liver fat content for those on aspirin.
Moreover, aspirin was found to be safe and well-tolerated by participants, with additional improvements noted in various liver health markers, including noninvasive blood and imaging tests for liver fat, inflammation, and fibrosis.
Tracey G. Simon, the study’s lead author and a hepatologist at Harvard Medical School, noted that the findings uniformly suggested a beneficial effect of aspirin on liver health.
This trial’s results support the potential of aspirin as a low-cost, accessible treatment option that could prevent the progression of MASLD to more severe liver diseases.
While these initial findings are encouraging, the researchers emphasize the need for further studies to confirm whether long-term use of aspirin can consistently prevent serious health complications associated with MASLD.
This ongoing research could potentially lead to new guidelines for managing MASLD and offer a simple yet effective treatment strategy for millions of affected individuals.Top of FormBottom of Form
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The research findings can be found in JAMA.
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