The Study
Ipragliflozin Reduces Epicardial Fat Accumulation in Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Visceral Obesity: A Pilot Study
This study watched 9 people take a medicine for 12 weeks and noticed their heart fat went down. But because no one else took a fake pill or didn’t take the medicine, we can’t be sure the medicine did it—maybe they ate better or moved more. So it only shows a possible link, not proof.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
A medicine called ipragliflozin, used for type 2 diabetes, was given to 9 non-obese patients with extra belly fat to see if it reduced fat around their heart.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 552 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Losing even a little fat around the heart may lower heart disease risk, even if the person isn't overweight.
- 2After 12 weeks, heart fat dropped from 102 cm³ to 89 cm³; body weight and blood sugar also improved, but muscle and liver fat stayed the same.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Diabetes Therapy
Year
2017
Authors
T. Fukuda, Ryotaro Bouchi, M. Terashima, Y. Sasahara, Masahiro Asakawa, Takato Takeuchi, Yujiro Nakano, Masanori Murakami, Isao Minami, Hajime Izumiyama, Koshi Hashimoto, T. Yoshimoto, Y. Ogawa
Related Content
Claims (6)
SGLT2 inhibitor medications lower the amount of fat surrounding the heart without requiring weight loss.
In non-obese adults with type 2 diabetes, taking 50 mg of ipragliflozin daily for 12 weeks does not change skeletal muscle mass or liver fat content.
In non-obese adults with type 2 diabetes, a decrease in fat around the heart after 12 weeks of ipragliflozin use is linked to changes in overall body weight and BMI, but not to changes in abdominal fat or muscle mass.
In non-obese adults with type 2 diabetes, taking ipragliflozin 50 mg daily for 12 weeks lowers leptin levels but does not change adiponectin or IL-6 levels.
In non-obese adults with type 2 diabetes and excess abdominal fat, taking ipragliflozin 50 mg daily for 12 weeks is associated with a reduction in epicardial fat volume from 102 cm³ to 89 cm³.
In non-obese adults with type 2 diabetes and excess abdominal fat, taking ipragliflozin 50 mg daily for 12 weeks is associated with a measurable decrease in abdominal fat and improvements in blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and blood fats.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.