Trial Comparing Metformin Versus Placebo in Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Patients Receiving Bariatric Surgery for Obesity

Double Blinded Randomised Trial Comparing Metformin Versus Placebo in NASH Patients Receiving Bariatric Surgery for Obesity

This is a comparison of metformin versus placebo in NASH patients receiving bariatric surgery for obesity.

In patients receiving bariatric surgery, a preoperative liver biopsy will confirm the presence of NASH. Those patients with NASH (histologically defined according the Brunt's criteria) will be randomized to receive metformin (2 times 850 mg orally daily) or placebo for a time period of 1 year. A control liver biopsy will be performed after one year.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients receiving bariatric surgery for obesity

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other causes of liver disease (hepatitis B virus [HBV], hepatitis C virus [HCV], primary biliary cirrhosis [PBC], etc.)
• Patients with diabetes type I
• Patients with endocrinological reasons for obesity (eg. Cushing, etc.)