Improvement of abnormal liver enzymes after rosiglitazone treatment in Chinese type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVES: Insulin resistance is one of the important underlying abnormalities of type 2 diabetes. The effect of thiazolidinedione on liver functions has been controversial in different studies. In this study, we evaluated the effect of rosiglitazone on liver enzymes in subjects with type 2 diabetes with and without abnormal liver function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-three patients with type 2 diabetes taking rosiglitazone 4 mg daily were enrolled in this 3-month study. Forty-two of them had normal liver function (NLF), and 31 had abnormal liver function (ABLF). Blood biochemistries were collected monthly during the treatment period. RESULTS: At baseline, other than age and liver enzymes, there were no differences in body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and lipid profiles between the NLF and ABLF groups. At the end of the treatment, HbA1c was lowered in both groups, but only significantly in the ABLF group (P = 0.027). More importantly, serum concentrations of both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the ABLF group decreased significantly (AST: 57.8 ± 26.5 to 47.5 ± 20.2 U/L, P = 0.006; ALT 66.6 ± 35.0 to 51.9 ± 23.5 UL, P = 0.004), while in the NLF group, a similar change was not found. CONCLUSION: After 3-month rosiglitazone treatment in subjects with type 2 diabetes with mildly elevated liver enzymes, significant improvement in AST and ALT were observed. Our study provides some hints that rosiglitazone might not be contraindicated in subjects with diabetes with abnormal liver function as previously thought, but further well-designed studies are necessary to clarify this issue.