Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction

Metabolic steatopathy or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are common diseases that regularly coexist and can act in synergy by increasing the risk of metabolic complications and cardiovascular events. NAFLD seems to be frequently associated with metabolic risk factors reflecting the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to analyse the characteristics of this association in type 2 diabetics.

Materials and methods

This is a retrospective and descriptive study, including 190 type 2 diabetic patients, hospitalised in an Endocrinology-Diabetology department over a period of 6 years. All the patients benefited from an abdominal ultrasound with NAFLD search, and were monitored by our centre’s hepato-gastroenterology department as part of a multidisciplinary care programme. The data were exploited by SPSS-V21.

Results

Among the 190 participants in the study, NAFLD was found in 51% patients. The mean age of our patients was 59.7 ± 11.6 years, with a female predominance of 73.2%. The mean initial HbA1c was 10.1 ± 2.1%, with a mean duration of diabetes of 9.8 ± 7.9 years. Patients had hypertension (57.7%), obesity (55%), abdominal obesity (78%) and metabolic syndrome in 88.7% of cases. 89.6% had dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia in 45.4% and hypoHDLemia in 75.8%. Macroangiopathic complications were present in 25.8% of patients and microangiopathic complications in 36.1%. The management of NAFLD consisted of optimal glycemic control through lifestyle modification alone (56.7%), with metformin (16.5%). 5.2% of patients were treated with liraglutide.

Discussion-conclusion

NAFLD is a common comorbidity during diabetes type 2. It is frequently associated with the metabolic syndrome. Thus, early screnning of NAFLD in type 2 diabetes is recommended, with multidisciplinary management by reducing the modifiable metabolic risk, optimal glycemic control and optimisation of weight loss to limit the progression of the disease.