Significant liver fibrosis, as assessed by fibroscan, is independently associated with chronic vascular complications of type 2 diabetes: A multicenter study.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate whether controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM), as assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), are associated with chronic vascular complications of diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM). METHODS: We studied 442 outpatients with established T2DM, and who underwent VCTE and extensive assessment of chronic vascular complications of diabetes. RESULTS: A quarter of analyzed patients had a previous history of myocardial infarction and/or ischemic stroke, and about half of them had at least one microvascular complication (chronic kidney disease (CKD), retinopathy or polyneuropathy). The prevalence of liver steatosis (i.e., CAP ≥ 238 dB/m) and significant liver fibrosis (i.e., LSM ≥ 7.0/6.2 kPa) was 84.2% and 46.6%, respectively. Significant liver fibrosis was associated with an increased likelihood of having myocardial infarction (adjusted-odds ratio 6.61, 95%CI 1.66-37.4), peripheral polyneuropathy (adjusted-OR 4.55, 95%CI 1.25-16.6), CKD (adjusted-OR 4.54, 95%CI 1.24-16.6) or retinopathy (adjusted-OR 1.81, 95%CI 1.62-1.97), independently of cardiometabolic risk factors, diabetes-related variables, and other potential confounders. Liver steatosis was not independently associated with any macro-/microvascular diabetic complications. CONCLUSIONS: Significant liver fibrosis is strongly associated with the presence of macro-/microvascular complications in patients with T2DM. These results offer a new perspective on the follow-up of people with T2DM.

Screening for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using transient elastography - a prospective, cross sectional study.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM), based on increased controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurements obtained by transient elastography. In addition, we aimed to identify parameters that correlate with increased elastographic parameters of steatosis and fibrosis to provide a better indication when a patient with T2DM should be screened for NAFLD. METHODS: We conducted prospective, cross-sectional study of 679 consecutive adult patients with diagnosed T2DM mean age 65.2±11.6. NAFLD was defined by transient elastography. In 105 patients a percutaneous liver biopsy (LB) was done. RESULTS: The prevalence of NAFLD based on transient elastography was 83.6%. Independent factors associated with increased CAP were higher body mass index, longer T2DM duration, higher serum triglyceride, lower levels of vitamin D, higher C-reactive protein, and higher HOMA-IR. The prevalence of moderate liver fibrosis was 26.9% and advanced liver fibrosis 12.6%. Independent factors associated with moderated fibrosis based on elastography were higher body mass index and higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), while independent factors associated with advanced fibrosis were female gender, higher body mass index, higher levels of ALT, gama-glutamil transferase and C-reactive protein. Sixty-four (60.9%) of 105 patients with LB had NAFLD activity score ≥5. Regarding the presence and stages of fibrosis based on LB, moderate fibrosis was found in 29.5% of patients, while 29.5% had advanced fibrosis and 6.7% cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: This study supports more aggressive screening for NAFLD and fibrosis in patients with T2DM.