Association of Exenatide With Liver Enzymes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction: Exenatide is a peptide agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor and has been shown to reverse hepatic steatosis in the animal model of fatty liver. The goal of the present study was to look at the association of liver enzymes in patients who had completed exenatide therapy for a period of one year. Methods: Over a period of 2 years, 31 patients of type 2 diabetes who had completed exenatide for a period of one year and had liver enzymes at baseline and one year were included in this study. Results: There were 40 patients who had completed exenatide therapy for a period of one year. Of these, 31 patients had liver enzymes at baseline and at one year. The mean age of the patients was 56.1 +/- 8.4 years. At the end of one year there was a mean decrease in AST and ALT of 6.6 units/L and 7.0 units/L, respectively. There was no correlation between change in AST or ALT and change in weight. There were 13 patients who had raised liver enzymes (AST or ALT >= 35 units/L). After one year of completion of exenatide treatment, 8 of 13(62%) patients normalized their liver enzymes. Conclusions: In patients with type 2 DM, exenatide treatment leads to decrease in AST and ALT independent of weight loss along with a mean reduction of weight and HbA1C.