A study of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its relation to type 2 diabetic patients and cardiovascular risk markers

ABSTRACT

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a unique entity characterised by fatty changes with lobular hepatitis in absence of a history of alcoholism. Compelling evidence over the past several years has substantiated a significant link between NAFLD and cardiovascular disease ranging from coronary artery disease to subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Close follow up, treatment of risk factors for NAFLD, and cardiovascular risk stratification are necessary to predict morbidity and mortality in these patients. The objective of this study is to find out hepatic involvement in type 2 diabetic patients and to correlate the associations between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and different Cardiovascular risk factors.Methods: This prospective and observational study was conducted in a tertiary care Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal and was conducted among 128 patients having patients having been diagnosed as type 2 diabetic and whose liver USG scan showing fatty changes.Results: In the studied 128 cases, 99 patients had fatty liver and 29 cases without fatty liver diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. Most of the Diabetic NAFLD cases were detected in their 5th and 6th decade of life with a male preponderance. Ultrasonography remains a reliable non-invasive method for detection. Ischemic changes in ECG were noted in the study population without statistical significance probably due to low sampling.Conclusions: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction found to be the prime echocardiographic abnormality in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.