Efficacy of Hypoglycemic Agents in Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD): A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

Aims

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a universal hepatic disease, and many recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have explored whether hypoglycemic agents may be beneficial for its treatment. This study aimed to assess the relative effectiveness of each hypoglycemic agent for MASLD.

Methods

China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）, WanFang, Weipu, PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched for RCTs on the efficacy of hypoglycemic agents in MASLD published up to December 31, 2024. All statistical analyses were performed using R version 4.3.3. The network meta-analysis was conducted using Bayesian statistical methods.

Results

A total of 26 hypoglycemic agents for treating MASLD in 37 studies with 2406 participants were included. Empagliflozin was most effective in improving liver stiffness measurement (LSM), whereas liraglutide showed significant benefits in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. Both sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors (e.g., empagliflozin) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (e.g., liraglutide) improved liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT]), glucose metabolism (fasting plasma glucose [FPG], and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), and lipid profiles. Pioglitazone had limited benefits in these outcomes. Secondary outcomes such as inflammatory markers and fibrosis showed minimal changes.

Conclusions

Several hypoglycemic agents can improve laboratory and imaging indicators in adult patients with MASLD. Liraglutide is more effective than other agents, whereas empagliflozin emerged as the most effective for reducing LSM. However, different agents have different effects on the indicators; therefore, the relevant agents must be selected according to the specific patient condition.