Effect of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty in Patients With Obesity and MASH: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease globally. While weight loss through lifestyle modification is the standard treatment, most patients regain weight limiting ultimate improvement in liver disease. On the other end of the spectrum, bariatric surgery has shown promise in the treatment of MASLD/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) due to its efficacy in inducing weight loss. Nevertheless, its adoption has been hindered by the perceived invasiveness of surgery. Over the past decade, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) has gained recognition as a promising minimally-invasive approach to weight loss. The procedure involves utilizing a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized endoscopic suturing device to reduce the gastric volume by 70%. Studies reveal that ESG is associated with approximately 18.2% weight loss at one year after the procedure, with sustained results for at least 10 years. Nevertheless, the effect of ESG on MASH remains unknown. In this study, the investigators will compare ESG + lifestyle modification versus lifestyle modification alone in treating histologic MASH. The study will randomize patients to one of two different treatment options: ESG + lifestyle modification or lifestyle modification alone.