Effect of atorvastatin combined with metformin on the lipid metabolism, hyperinsulinemia and oxidative stress in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

• Main Authors: Jie Zhang1, Lu Wang1, Bo Wu2, Ning Gao3, Ni Kang4
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial Board of Journal of Hainan Medical University 2017-05-01
• Series: Journal of Hainan Medical University
• Subjects: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Atorvastatin; Metformin; Lipid metabolism; Oxidative stress
• Online Access: http://www.hnykdxxb.com/PDF/201709/15.pdf

Objective: To study the effect of atorvastatin combined with metformin on the lipid metabolism, hyperinsulinemia and oxidative stress in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: 56 patients with NAFLD who were treated in our hospital between June 2012 and February 2016 were collected and divided into the observation group and control group (n=28) according to the single-blind random number table. Control group received conventional treatment + atorvastatin therapy, observation group received conventional treatment + atorvastatin combined with metformin therapy, and both therapies lasted for 12 weeks. Before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment, fasting serum was collected from two groups of patients to determine the levels of lipid metabolism indexes, insulin resistancerelated indexes and oxidative stress indexes. Results: Before treatment, the differences in the levels of serum lipid metabolism indexes, insulin resistance-related indexes and oxidative stress indexes were not statistically significant between two groups of patients. After 12 weeks of treatment, serum lipid metabolism indexes triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (CHO), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels of observation group were lower than those of control group while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was higher than that of control group; insulin resistance-related indexes fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) levels were lower than those of control group; oxidation indexes reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid hydroperoxide (LHP) levels were lower than those of control group while anti-oxidation indexes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) levels were higher than those of control group. Conclusion: Atorvastatin combined with metformin can optimize the lipid metabolism, improve the insulin sensitivity and reduce the systemic oxidative stress level in patients with NAFLD.