Assessment of Liver Disorders in Patients of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Hospital Based Study

ABSTRACT

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is commonly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Prevalence of NASH in type 2 DM has not been well studied and there is an epidemic rise in type 2 DM in Asian and Western populations. Its association with chronic liver disease in the form of NASH makes it an important health problem. Hence, we have studied its prevalence and correlation of biochemical parameters with histological grades of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in otherwise asymptomatic type 2 DM patients.  Materials & Methods: One hundred and twenty-five individuals were screened. N=30 individuals were excluded due to history of alcohol intake or liver disease as a result of other causes. N=95 non-alcoholic individuals with type 2 DM underwent abdominal ultrasonography (US abdomen). N=28 patients had evidence of fatty liver on US abdomen, and 16 of these 28 patients underwent liver biopsy. Results: Out of 125 patients enrolled with the suspicion of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, female patients were 70 (56%) and male patients 55 (44%). The prevalence of NAFLD was found to be more in females n=40 than males n=30. N=16 patients were undergone liver biopsy for the suspicion NASH. Out of 22 patients suspected, only 9 patients were found to be having NASH. Conclusion: We conclude that the prevalence of NASH is high in type 2 DM patients and liver biopsy is the only investigation to differentiate between non-alcoholic fatty liver and steatohepatitis.