Pentoxifylline Might Benefit Patients with NASH

Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), especially those with higher necroinflammatory infiltrates and more advanced fibrosis, have elevated levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Pentoxifylline, a TNF-α down-regulator, has been shown to be beneficial in patients with acute alcoholic hepatitis; because the two diseases have some pathogenetic similarities, these researchers theorized that pentoxifylline might also benefit patients with NASH. In an open-label pilot trial, they examined pentoxifylline (1200 mg/day in 3 divided doses) in 18 male NASH patients (mean age, 35; mean body-mass index [BMI], 26.7). All patients completed the first 3 months of treatment; 15 completed 6 months.

Of the three patients who dropped out, …