Loading ...

TOPLINE: 

Liver stiffness and severe fibrosis, as measured by FibroScan, are independently linked to type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), new research suggests.

METHODOLOGY:

• Investigators analyzed data from clinical and laboratory tests, FibroScan, and liver ultrasonography for 154 patients (average age, 51 years; 59.7% men; 42.9% with T2DM) with MASLD in China from 2016-2021.
• One researcher was assigned to focus specifically on the presence and severity of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis using FibroScan and other measures.
• Data on vascular complications and T2DM status were collected for all patients.

TAKEAWAY:

• The hemoglobin A1c homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index, gamma-glutamyl transferase, fibrosis indices, and liver stiffness measurement values all were higher in the group with MASLD and T2DM than in those without T2DM.
• Patients with MASLD and T2DM had lower serum uric acid levels than those with MASLD alone (324.32 ± 90.94 mol/L vs 382.69 ± 98.84 mol/L).
• Patients with severe fibrosis (79.3%) in the MASLD group had a greater frequency of T2DM than those with mild fibrosis (45.7%) or no fibrosis (27.8%).
• Liver stiffness measurement and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were independent risk factors for incident T2DM among patients with MASLD (odds ratio,1.466 and 0.273, respectively).

IN PRACTICE:

"Patients with [MASLD], especially those who have clinical indications of MetS, should have liver fibrosis screenings," the authors wrote. Liver stiffness measurement "can be used to dynamically monitor the grade of fibrosis in relation to [insulin resistance] and the emergence of T2DM during follow-up."

SOURCE:

Shihai Xia of the Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, People's Republic of China, and colleagues conducted the study, which was published online on January 22, 2024, in Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity.

LIMITATIONS:

The study was limited by a small sample size from a single institution and a preponderance of older participants who may have had higher rates of T2DM than the general population. In addition, there was no follow-up data on liver stiffness and T2DM changes over time.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was funded by the PhD Startup Fund from Logistics University of PAP and the Independent Innovation Science Fund Project (2024-2025) in Characteristic Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.