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ABSTRACT: Introduction
In the absence of an effective treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) remains the current gold standard study design in NASH. As NASH is a largely asymptomatic disease, the side effects of potential therapies require careful evaluation, therefore a pooled rate of the adverse events (AEs) in placebo-treated patients serves as a useful comparator for safety. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the rate of AEs among participants in the placebo arm of NASH RCTs.Methods
Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to include clinical trials in phase 2-4 NASH RCTs with placebo treatment arms. A pooled proportions of AEs were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model with Clopper-Pearson intervals.Results
A total of 41 RCTs (2,944 participants on placebo) were included in this meta-analysis. A total of 68% (confidence interval [CI] 55%-77%) of participants on placebo experienced an AE, 7.8% (5.7%-10%) experienced serious AEs and 3.1% (CI: 1.9%-5.1%) experienced AEs leading to discontinuation. A significantly higher proportion of participants experienced serious AEs in phase 3 studies compared to in phase 2 studies ( P < 0.01) and in pharmaceutical funded studies as compared to studies which were federal-funded studies ( P < 0.01). An analysis of clinical trials evaluating bile acid modulating agents determined that 10% (CI: 5.5%-18%) of participants receiving placebo developed pruritus.Discussion
The present study summarizes the AEs with NASH placebo. Among participants in the placebo arm in NASH, two-third experienced an AE, and nearly 10% experienced a serious AE.
SUBMITTER: Tay PWL
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10792533 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Tay Phoebe Wen Lin PWL Ng Cheng Han CH Lin Snow Yunni SY Chin Yip Han YH Xiao Jieling J Lim Wen Hui WH Lim Sze Yinn SY Fu Clarissa Elysia CE Chan Kai En KE Quek Jingxuan J Tan Darren Jun Hao DJH Chew Nicholas N Syn Nicholas N Keitoku Taisei T Tamaki Nobuharu N Siddiqui Mohammad Shadab MS Noureddin Mazen M Muthiah Mark M Huang Daniel Q DQ Loomba Rohit R
The American journal of gastroenterology 20220930 4
<h4>Introduction</h4>In the absence of an effective treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) remains the current gold standard study design in NASH. As NASH is a largely asymptomatic disease, the side effects of potential therapies require careful evaluation, therefore a pooled rate of the adverse events (AEs) in placebo-treated patients serves as a useful comparator for safety. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis ...[more]