Primary Outcome Measures:
- Improved insulin sensitivity as determined by:(1) hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp method [ Time Frame: one year ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- (2) HOMA model- determined by the OGTT method [ Time Frame: one year ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Change in serum aminotransferase levels Change in levels of serum, plasma and urinary markers of oxidative stress [ Time Frame: one year ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Changes in intrahepatic and intraabdominal fat content as determined by CT scan [ Time Frame: one year ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (ie IL-6, TnF-αR2) [ Time Frame: one year ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease in the United States. NAFLD can lead to severe liver disease in some patients. Patients with NAFLD develop resistance to the normal action of insulin. Insulin is important for processing sugar and fat and increased resistance to insulin leads to fat in the liver. There is a correlation between the amount of iron in a person's body and the ability of insulin to work properly. Several small studies suggest that removal of iron may improve both diabetes and NAFLD by lowering insulin resistance.
The goal of this pilot study is to determine the effect of iron depletion on insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study will be performed as an ancillary P&F study to the NASH CRN; all participants will be recruited from the NASH CRN Database Study. Secondary outcome measures will include the effect of iron depletion on hepatic necroinflammation, markers of oxidative stress and intrahepatic fat content. Insulin resistance will be directly measured using a two-step hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp procedure, before and after iron depletion by phlebotomy. Oral glucose tolerance tests will also be performed in order to evaluate the efficacy of using the indirect, but less cumbersome, HOMA model to derive values of insulin resistance in this patient cohort. This study will advance our understanding of the role of body iron stores in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. If iron depletion results in improved insulin sensitivity, reduced hepatic necroinflammation and/or intrahepatic fat content, a large scale, randomized, controlled trial of iron depletion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease will be planned.
Purpose
