Role of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors in the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. NAFLD is considerably more frequent in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) than in the general population and is also more severe histologically in this group. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, the newest class of antidiabetic agents, appear to represent a promising option for the management of NAFLD in patients with T2DM. In a number of studies, treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors resulted in a reduction in hepatic steatosis and in transaminase levels. However, existing studies are small, their follow-up period was short and none evaluated the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on liver histology. Accordingly, larger studies are needed to verify these preliminary results and define the role of SGLT2 inhibitors in the treatment of NAFLD in patients with T2DM.