Effect of Telmisartan or Losartan for Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Fatty Liver Protection Trial by Telmisartan or Losartan Study (FANTASY).

Aim: This study compared the effects of telmisartan and losartan on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and biochemical markers of insulin resistance in hypertensive NAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This was a randomized, open-label, parallel-group comparison of therapy with telmisartan or losartan. Nineteen hypertensive NAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to receive telmisartan at a dose of 40 mg once a day (n = 12) [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] or losartan at a dose of 50 mg once a day (n = 7) for 12 months.

Results: The telmisartan group showed a significant decline in serum free fatty acid (FFA) level (from 0.87 ± 0.26 to 0.59 ± 0.22 mEq/L (mean ± SD), P = 0.005) and a significant increase in L/S ratio (P = 0.049) evaluated by CT scan, while these parameters were not changed in the losartan group.

Conclusion: Although there was no significant difference in improvement in liver enzymes with telmisartan and losartan treatment in hypertensive NAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes after 12 months, it is suggested that telmisartan may exert beneficial effects by improving fatty liver.