A hormone treatment called tesamorelin lowers liver fat by 2.9% more than a placebo in people with HIV who have excess abdominal fat after six months of treatment.

Scientific Claim

Tesamorelin reduces liver fat by 2.9% lipid-to-water percentage compared to placebo in HIV-infected adults with abdominal fat accumulation over 6 months.

Original Statement

“liver fat (median change in lipid to water percentage, -2.0% [interquartile range {IQR}, -6.4% to 0.1%] with tesamorelin vs 0.9% [IQR, -0.6% to 3.7%] with placebo; P = .003) over 6 months, for a net treatment effect of -2.9% in lipid to water percentage.”

From study:Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial.

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

As a randomized controlled trial with randomization and control group, this study design can establish causation for primary endpoints. The use of 'reduces' is appropriate for the primary outcome.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial.

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2014 Jul 23-30

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial.

Score: 73

DOI: 10.1001/jama.2014.8334

Similar Assertions

For people with HIV and fatty liver disease on INSTI drugs, tesamorelin likely reduces liver fat by 4.9% while placebo has almost no effect (0.1% decrease) after a year.

89%

When belly fat decreases in people with HIV, liver fat also tends to decrease, showing a connection between these two types of fat.

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People with HIV and fatty liver disease on INSTI drugs who took tesamorelin for a year likely saw their liver fat decrease by 31% compared to their starting point.

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For people with HIV and fatty liver disease on integrase inhibitors, taking tesamorelin for a year likely reduced liver fat by almost 5%, while the placebo group saw almost no change.

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For people with HIV and fatty liver on INSTI drugs, taking tesamorelin for a year likely reduces liver fat by 4.9% compared to a tiny 0.1% reduction in those on a placebo.

87%