Effect of pentoxifylline on serum hyaluronic acid in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

:Background and study aimsLiver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins that occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be associated with progressive hepatic fibrosis.In this study we evaluated the effect of pentoxifylline (PTX) on serum hyaluronic acid (HA) levels as a marker of fibrosis.Patients and methodsIn this study we included 30 subjects (14 males and 16 females), divided into three groups. The NAFLD group included 20 patients with fatty livers as shown by ultrasound examination. Patients were randomised into a placebo group of 10 patients who received a placebo, and a pentoxifylline PTX group of 10 patients who received pentoxifylline at 400 mg/day for 6 months. The control group included 10 normal individuals.ResultsIn the NAFLD group the mean value of the base line serum HA was 133 ± 150.48, while in the control group it was 33.5 ± 10.01; the difference between the groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The mean value of the base line serum HA in the PTX treated group was 169.5 ± 156.19, while after 6 months of treatment it was 59 ± 44.34, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.007). In the placebo treated group the mean value of the base line serum HA was 96.5 ± 143.004, while after 6 months of treatment it was 59.7 ± 44.29; this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.594).ConclusionOur results showed that, when administered for 6 months, PTX caused a significant decline in HA levels, which may be an index reflecting improvement of hepatic fibrosis. Further investigations should be conducted with a large number of patients to confirm our results and correlate this with histological findings.