Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of atorvastatin and tiopronin combination in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD). Methods 104 patients with NAFLD were admitted to our hospital between December 2016 and September 2019, and were randomly divided into observation (n=52 and control group (n=52). The patients with NAFLD in control group received routine exercise and diet intervention plus tiopronin enteric-coated tablets and those in the observation group received atorvastatin and tiopronin orally for 8 weeks. Serum nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κ B), transforming growth factor -β(TGF-β),insulin-like growth factor -1(IGF-1, insulin resistance (IR) and serum alanineaminotransferase (ALT), aspartic acid transaminase (AST), glutamyl transpeptidase ( GGT), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected. Results At the end of treatment, serum ALT level in the observation group was (27.8±2.5)U/L, significantly lower than 【(43.6±3.0)U/L, P<0.05】, serum AST level was (22.1±6.3)U/L, significantly lower than 【(46.4±6.9)U/L, P<0.05】, serum GGT level was (55.6±9.8)U/L, significantly lower than 【(71.3±10.3)U/L, P<0.05】, and blodd TG level was (2.4±0.5)mmol/L, much lower than 【(3.0±0.4)mmol/L, P<0.05】, blood TC level was (3.6±0.7)mmol/L, significantly lower than 【(4.9±0.5)mmol/L, P<0.05】, blood LDL-C level was (2.6±0.7)mmol/L, significantly lower than 【(3.1±0.6)mmol/L, P<0.05】, while blood HDL-C level was (1.3±0.2)mmol/L, much higher than 【(1.1±0.3)mmol/L, P<0.05】 in the control group; serum NF-κB level was (1.2±0.1)pg/mL, significantly lower than 【(2.6±0.2)pg/mL, P<0.05】, serum TGF-β level was (3.3±1.2)pg/mL, significantly lower than 【(5.7±1.0)pg/mL, P<0.05】, the HOMA-IR was (2.2±0.4), significantly lower than 【(2.7±0.5), P<0.05】, while serum IGF-1 level was (0.4±0.2)μg/L, significantly higher than 【(0.3±0.1)μg/L, P<0.05】, and serum adiponectin level was (11.9±2.1)mg/L, much higher than 【(10.7±1.8)mg/L, P<0.05】 in the control; the incidences of side effects in the two group during the treatment was not significantly different (13.5% vs. 9.6%, P>0.05). Conclusion The regimen with atorvastatin and tiopronin combination in dealing with patients with NAFLD could protect liver functions, which might be related to the reduction of serum levels of NF-κB and TGF-β, and inhibition of inflammatory reactions.

Key words: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, Atorvastatin, Tiopronin, Nuclear transcription factor kappa b, Transforming growth factor-β, Insulin resistance, Therapy