Efficacy Study of Diacerein on Glycemic Control and Liver Fat in Type 2 Diabetes Subjects

Background: Recently, knowledge about diacerhein, an anthraquinone drug with powerful anti-inflammatory properties, revealed that this drug improves insulin sensitivity, mediated by the reversal of chronic subclinical inflammation. Amongst the numerous pathogenetic factors, oxidative stress and apoptosis of hepatocytes initiate many inflammatory processes and are involved in the progression of Non alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Aims:The aim is to evaluate the effect of treatment with diacerein in improvement of glycemic parameters (mean glycated hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar) and reduction of liver fat fraction.

Methods:Two-hundred patients will be randomly allocated either to treatment with diacerein plus their usual therapeutic regimen or to placebo for 24 months. Clinic, laboratory evaluation (including glycated hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar, creatinine, ferritin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), g-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, platelet count, total cholesterol, high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides and urinary albumin excretion rate no 24-hour urine collection) will be performed before and every 3 months until the end of study. Pro-Inflammatory cytokines, adiponectin and cytokeratin-18 were measured before, at 12 months and at the end of study. Liver fat fraction measurement using controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) by transient elastography. (Fibroscan) will be performed before and after the 12 and 24-month treatment, with the observers blinded to the allocation group.

Inclusion criteria

• Type 2 diabetes.
• Presence of liver steatosis diagnosed by ultrasound or transient elastography (Fibroscan®)
• Age 30-75 years.
• HbA1c 7.5- 9.5 for at least 8 weeks prior to screening.
• Stable diabetes therapeutic regimen consisting of either diet, oral hypoglycemic agents with or without insulin for 8 weeks prior to randomization.

Exclusion criteria

• Body mass index > 40 kg/m2
• Serum creatinine ≥180mmol/L or estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 ml/min.
• Presence of any serious concomitant disease, such as a pulmonary disease or malignant disorders.
• Current daily alcohol ingestion ≥20 g.
• Hepatotoxic drugs.
• Presence of other chronic liver disease other than nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, including hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, alfa-1 antitrypsin deficiency, autoimmune hepatitis.
• Women seeking pregnancy.
• Current use or previous use within 6 months of vitamin E or pioglitazone