Research Article Details

Article ID: A14029
PMID: 29627620
Source: Contemp Clin Trials
Title: Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lubiprostone for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adult patients with constipation: The LUBIPRONE, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study design.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: This paper reports the protocol of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to test the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lubiprostone (LUB) vs. placebo on suppressing gut permeability in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients with constipation. NAFLD, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is a common chronic liver disorder. Progression is associated with increased gut permeability and gut-derived endotoxins. Most NAFLD/NASH clinical trial drugs aim to improve liver function or systemic metabolism. LUB is a type 2 chloride channel activator used as a laxative for the treatment of patients with constipation. LUB suppresses gut permeability induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in healthy volunteers and lowers blood endotoxin levels. There have been no clinical studies of LUB for NAFLD/NASH patients. METHODS: The study plans to enrol adult patients (20-85&#8239;years, planned enrolment, n&#8239;=&#8239;150; planned sample size, n&#8239;=&#8239;120) with NAFLD and constipation, alanine aminotransferase &#8805;40 IU/L, equivalent steatosis grade &#8805;1, and equivalent fibrosis stage <4 measured using non-invasive vibration-controlled transient elastography and magnetic resonance imaging. Participants will be randomly allocated into three groups: LUB 12&#8239;&#956;g, LUB 24&#8239;&#956;g, and a placebo group. RESULTS: The primary endpoint will be changes in alanine aminotransferase from baseline at 12&#8239;weeks. The main secondary endpoint will be changes in intestinal permeability from baseline at 12&#8239;weeks using the lactulose mannitol ratio. CONCLUSIONS: This study will determine whether LUB improves gut permeability in NAFLD patients with constipation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000026635).
DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2018.04.002