Efficacy of Ursodeoxycholic Acid for the Treatment of Non- Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Background: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of liver related morbidity and mortality worldwide. The current treatment options of NAFLD are dietary and lifestyle modifications, use of insulin sensitizing agent, vitamin E, statins and some other drugs including ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). But none of them has specific and direct effect on NAFLD. Studies reveal inconclusive results with UDCA to treat NAFLD in terms of biochemical and histologic improvement. So, this study was done to see either UDCA is effective or not for the treatment of NAFLD patients.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid for the treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Methods: This non-randomized control trial was done in Medicine and Hepatology department of Rangpur Medical College Hospital during a period of January, 2016 to September, 2017. Total 111 cases fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included into the study. The sample was collected by purposive consecutive sampling technique. After taking informed consent from each patient, they were divided into two groups (study and control group) by selecting them one after another. Data was collected in structured questionnaire from detailed history, clinical examination and relevant investigations. Study group was given UDCA and advised dietary and lifestyle modifications and control group was advised only dietary and lifestyle modifications. The patients were followed up after 3 months. Outcome was measured on the basis of clinical findings, level of serum ALT and findings of hepatic ultrasound. Data was processed and analyzed by SPSS (Version 23). P value of <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Chi-square test, Z-test and Student’s t-test were used for statistical analysis.

Results: There was clinical improvement and also significant improvement of serum ALT levels and hepatic ultrasound both in study and control group. But there is no significant difference between two groups regarding improvement of clinical parameters, serum ALT levels and hepatic ultrasound. These findings signify that UDCA has no effect for the improvement of NAFLD.

Conclusion: This study found that UDCA is not effective for the treatment of NAFLD patients.