Response to pioglitazone in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with vs . without type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Pioglitazone could exert a certain effect on alleviating NAFLD, which was consistent between non-diabetic NAFLD patients and diabetic NAFLD patients in improving histopathology, liver enzymes, and HOMA-IR and reducing blood lipids. Furthermore, there were no adverse effects, except the incidence of edema which is higher in the pioglitazone group in NAFLD patients with diabetes. However, large sample sizes and well-designed RCTs are required to further confirm these conclusions.