SGLT-2 Inhibitors: Are They a Promising Treatment Option in T2DM Patients with NAFLD?

Sodium glucose co-transporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2 inhibitors) are a class of antidiabetics, recently approved for the treatment of patients with T2DM. They feature cardioprotective and renoprotective action, while they exert beneficial effects on metabolic parameters. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a frequent co-morbidity in diabetic patients. Its prevalence reaches up to 70%. Since there is no specific treatment approved for NAFLD, both experimental and clinical studies have been recently conducted highlighting the efficacy and safety of SGLT-2 inhibitors mainly in animal models and secondarily in patients with T2DM and NAFLD. This class of antidiabetics seems very attractive, improving both glycemic control and liver function tests, while inhibiting NAFLD progression. However, further investigation is required to establish them as a first-line treatment option in T2DM patients with NAFLD, after thorough assessment of their efficacy and safety in clinical practice.