Placebo-Associated MRI-PDFF and Metabolic Changes in MASLD Clinical Trials

41 participants from placebo arms of five phase Ib/IIa MASLD clinical trials (2020–2024) were analyzed. The dataset tracks hepatic fat content (MRI-PDFF), body weight, liver enzymes, and lipid parameters from baseline to week 56, with 18 participants completing the 1-year follow-up. It quantifies short-term placebo responses, including a 20% rate of significant hepatic fat reduction.

Use Cases

• Analyze the correlation between changes in MRI-PDFF and body weight reductions in placebo-treated MASLD patients.
• Model the 1-year rebound trajectories of liver enzymes and lipid parameters after treatment cessation.
• Assess the heterogeneity of the placebo effect by examining the standard deviations reported for relative MRI-PDFF and body weight changes.

Strengths

• Data from 41 prospectively enrolled participants across five clinical trials provides a multi-trial perspective.
• Includes longitudinal 1-year follow-up data for 18 participants, capturing post-treatment rebound effects.
• Measures multiple clinical endpoints including MRI-PDFF, body weight, liver enzymes, and lipid parameters.

Limitations

• The sample size is limited to 41 participants, with only 18 completing the full 1-year follow-up.
• Data is derived solely from placebo arms, lacking an active treatment comparator for direct contrast.
• The dataset is stored in a DOCX document, requiring manual extraction for quantitative analysis.

Provenance

Source

Placebo arms of five phase Ib/IIa clinical trials for MASLD.

Collection Method

Prospective enrollment of trial participants with assessments of MRI-PDFF and metabolic parameters.

Time Range

2020–2024 for trial data, with a 1-year follow-up period.

Freshness

Data covers trials from 2020 to 2024, with the record last updated in March 2026.