Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a severe subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which affects 1 in 3 Americans. The mainstay of treatment for NASH, which was recently renamed metabolic associated steatohepatitis (MASH), involves lifestyle interventions to promote weight loss and to treat comorbidities such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. There is thus, a substantial unmet need for pharmacological therapies that are effective for treatment of NASH, especially in those with fibrosis which is the main predictor of disease progression and mortality among NASH patients. The repurposing of presently available drugs would help expedite the search for agents effective in treating NASH. The cardiac glycoside digoxin is currently used in the management of heart failure and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. The investigators and other groups have demonstrated that digoxin protects the liver from various forms of acute and chronic liver injury. The investigators preliminary data in healthy human subject indicate an immunomodulatory effect of low dose oral digoxin with no adverse side effects. This study proposes to demonstrate the clinical benefits of digoxin on NASH and on liver fibrosis, thus supporting the repurposing of digoxin as treatment for NASH.
Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single center trial of digoxin in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Primary objective: To compare the effect of digoxin oral, administered once daily (QD) either as titration-based or weight-based dose, versus placebo on histologic resolution of NASH Key secondary objectives: To investigate the effect of digoxin oral, administered once daily (QD) either as titration-based or weight-based dose, compared to placebo on histologic, imaging, and biochemical markers of NASH, and to assess the safety and tolerability of digoxin compared to placebo
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
144
Yale New Haven Health
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
RECRUITINGYale New Haven Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
RECRUITINGResolution of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) without worsening of fibrosis
Proportion of participants who achieve resolution of NASH (defined by the NASH Clinical research network \[CRN\] as a score of 0-1 for inflammation, 0 for hepatocyte ballooning, and any value for steatosis) with no worsening of fibrosis (yes/no).
Time frame: 24 weeks
Improvement in liver fibrosis without worsening of NASH
Proportion of participants with improvement in liver fibrosis by ≥ 1 stage with no worsening of NASH (yes/no). Worsening of NASH is defined as ≥ 1 increase in lobular inflammation or hepatocyte ballooning according to criteria by the NASH clinical research network (NASH CRN)
Time frame: 24 weeks
Improvement in NAS without worsening of fibrosis
Proportion of participants with improvement in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score (NAS) of ≥ 2 with no worsening of fibrosis after 24 weeks (yes/no)
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score
Change in Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) score.
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
Change in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration (pg/ml)
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
Change in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration (pg/ml)
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT)
Change in serum gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentration (pg/ml)
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in liver stiffness measure (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP)
Change in liver stiffness measure (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) from baseline as measured by transient elastography.
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF)
Change in magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF)
Time frame: 24 weeks
Change in Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)
Change from baseline in magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)
Time frame: 24 weeks
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.