Growth hormone augmentation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis and metabolic dysregulation. Growth hormone (GH) augmentation has emerged as a potential therapeutic intervention for treating MASLD. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of GH augmentation on different parameters of MASLD. A systematic literature search identified randomized controlled trials investigating GH augmentation in MASLD patients. Search results were screened via Covidence and the Risk of Bias 2 tool was used to assess bias in randomized controlled trials. Statistical analysis utilized RevMan v5.3. We combined dichotomous outcomes employing odds ratios and continuous outcomes utilizing mean difference (MD), each with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical significance was indicated by a P -value less than 0.05. Heterogeneity was evaluated using I 2 tests. Our results showed that GH augmentation resulted in a significant reduction in both relative (MD: −46.26; 95% CI: −71.52, −21.00; P = 0.0003) and absolute (MD: −5.15; 95% CI: −7.93, −2.37; P = 0.0003) hepatic fat fraction. GH augmentation significantly reduced alanine aminotransferase (MD: −5.97; 95% CI: −10.31, −1.62; P = 0.007) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (MD: −16.18; 95% CI: −30.76, −1.59; P = 0.03) levels. No significant changes were observed in hemoglobin A1c, C-reactive protein, fasting serum glucose, BMI, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Our meta-analysis highlights GH augmentation as a promising therapy for reducing liver steatosis and improving liver enzyme levels in MASLD patients. Further large-scale trials are warranted to examine the long-term effects, safety profiles, and potential impact on various measures.