Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a key component of the insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The aim was to study the prevalence of NAFLD in women and men with DM2.

Methods/design: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study. We analyzed data from in-hospital patients: 96 women (mean age 63.2±11.4 years) and 80 men with DM2 (mean age 59.0±10.7 years)). Body weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were analyzed as well as laboratory parameters such as fasting plasma glucose (FPG), HbA1c, serum lipids, liver enzymes (ASAT, ALAT, GGT). The liver shape, size and sonographic pattern were documented by abdominal sonography.

Results: 7.6% of DM2 women had ALAT >40 IU/l and 32.5% – GGT>35 IU/l; respectively 11.2% of DM2 men had ALAT>40 IU/l and 35.0% – GGT>35 IU/l. 2/3 of the women and 40% of the men with DM2 had liver steatosis at sonography. Between group differences (with/without NAFLD) were significant only for ALAT in women with DM2 and for BMI (P=0.027), diastolic blood pressure (P=0.031), and GGT (P=0.044) in men. If a diagnostic threshold for detecting NAFLD of 40 IU/l is set the sensitivity of ALAT is around 15% in women and 29% in men and that of GGT – around 20% in women and around 33% in men with DM2.

Conclusion: This study documented a high prevalence of sonographic signs for liver steatosis in women and men with diabetes type 2. An epidemiologic survey of the prevalence of NAFLD is needed.