Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Bidirectional Relationship

Development of posttransplant diabetes mellitus in US recipients of liver transplant is influenced by OPTN region

Posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients (LTRs). We used the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) database to compare the incidence of developing PTDM across the United States and develop a risk prediction model for new-onset PTDM using OPTN region as well as donor-related, recipient-related, and transplant-related factors. All US adult, primary, deceased donor, LTRs between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2016, with no prior history of diabetes noted , were identified. Kaplan-Meier estimators were used to calculate the cumulative incidence of PTDM, stratified by OPTN region. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to estimate hazards of PTDM in each OPTN region and build a risk prediction model, through backward selection. Cumulative incidence of PTDM at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years after transplant was 12.0%, 16.1%, and 18.9%, respectively. Region 3, followed by regions 8, 2, and 9, had the highest adjusted hazards of developing PTDM. Inclusion of OPTN region in a risk prediction model for PTDM in LTRs (including recipient age, sex, race, education, insurance coverage, body mass index, primary liver disease, cold ischemia time, and donor history of diabetes) modestly improved performance (C-statistic = 0.60). In patients without pre-existing, confirmed diabetes mellitus, the incidence of PTDM in LTRs varied across OPTN regions, with the highest hazards in region 3, followed by regions 8, 2, and 9. The performance of a novel risk prediction model for PTDM in LTRs has improved performance with the inclusion of the OPTN region. Vigilance is recommended to centers in high-risk regions to identify PTDM and mitigate its development.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of pioglitazone and SGLT2 inhibitors in treating Asian patients in MASLD associated with type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To comprehensively evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pioglitazone and SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with MASLD and Type 2 Diabetes(T2DM).

METHODS

Electronic databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), Wan-Fang Digital Database, and China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP) were searched from inception to December 2024. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, performed continuous data extraction， and independently evaluated bias risks. Liver ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and biochemical indices were utilized to determine the impact of treatment in both groups. Improvement in liver biomarkers and fibrosis as primary outcome indicators; Improvement in body composition, metabolic parameters, glucose parameters, and incidence of adverse effects as a secondary outcome indicator. For continuous variables, mean and standard deviation (SD) were extracted. RevMan 5.4 software was used to systematically analyze the literature, including heterogeneity testing, odds ratios (OR) calculation, and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for each influencing factor.

RESULTS

Nine randomly controlled trials with 755 Asian participants were included. Our research showed that SGLT2i was more effective than pioglitazone in improving fibrosis-4 score (SMD 0.41 [95%CI 0.18,0.64] p = 0.005), visceral fat area (SMD 0.34 [95%CI 0.14,0.54] p = 0.0007), BMI (SMD 0.29 [95%CI 0.03,0.56] p = 0.03), and low-density lipoprotein levels (SMD 0.21 [95%CI 0.04,0.38] p = 0.01). In contrast, no statistically significant differences were observed in other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that in patients with MASLD and T2DM, SGLT2i was more effective overall in improving liver fibrosis, blood lipids, liver fat, and body composition in the short term. These findings establish a theoretical basis for safe and rational drug use in clinical practice. Additionally, they may contribute to new insights into the pathogenesis of MASLD and type 2 diabetes and drug discovery and development efforts.

Use of noninvasive fibrosis calculators in an urban diabetes center suggests a large burden of undetected advanced liver disease

BACKGROUND

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is prevalent in up to 60% of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM accelerates the risk of hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with MASLD. Our goal in this study was to identify patients with suspected MASLD and hepatic fibrosis in a large T2DM clinic by using noninvasive fibrosis scoring systems.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of patients with T2DM seen by our endocrinologists at the Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) Diabetes Center in Washington, DC, from November 1, 2021, until November 1, 2022. We included all subjects who were over 18 years old with a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 6.5 or higher. Patients with a history of significant alcohol consumption, decompensated cirrhosis, previous bariatric surgery, or prior chronic liver disease were excluded from the study. We identified patients at risk for hepatic fibrosis by using the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index, NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) and AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) when lab values were available.

RESULTS

A total of 1,411 patients were evaluated for T2DM by an endocrinology provider during the one-year period. Out of these, 336 patients met one or more of the exclusion criteria, leaving a total of 1075 patients included in the analysis. The majority were African American (n = 582, 54%), 261 were Caucasian (24.3%), and 85 were Hispanic (7.9%). Most patients were females (n = 675, 62.7%). The mean HbA1c was 8.1 ± 2.3. 643 patients (59.8%) were insulin dependent. Based on FIB-4 scores, we found that 35 (3.9%) patients had a score of > 2.67 associated with advanced fibrosis and 257 (29%) patients with scores of 1.3-2.67 had moderate fibrosis. Using the NFS calculator, there were 281 (28%) patients with values of > 0.675 consistent with F3-F4 disease. 715 (71.8%) patients with values of < 0.675 consistent with F0-F2 fibrosis. A total of 6(< 1%) patients met criteria for advanced fibrosis by APRI scoring.

CONCLUSION

In our urban Diabetes Center, utilizing the NFS calculator may detect many patients with advanced liver disease. Further research is needed to ensure the internal validity of the non-invasive tests in predicting liver fibrosis and to correlate these findings with transient elastography and other imaging evidence of fatty liver disease.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Non-applicable.

Detecting severe coronary artery stenosis in T2DM patients with NAFLD using cardiac fat radiomics-based machine learning

To analyze radiomics features of cardiac adipose tissue in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), integrating relevant clinical indicators, and employing machine learning techniques to construct a precise model for detecting severe coronary artery stenosis. A retrospective analysis of 710 T2DM patients with NAFLD was conducted at First People's Hospital of Wenling. The study population was randomly divided into a training set (n = 497) and a validation set (n = 213). Radiomics features from cardiac fat CT images, including epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and paracardial adipose tissue (PAT), were extracted for all patients. The semi-automated segmentation and extraction of shape, first-order statistics, texture, and wavelet were performed using specialized software. Simultaneously, clinical characteristics were collected. Following feature selection, four machine learning algorithms were utilized to develop radiomics, clinical, and combined radiomics-clinical models. The detection performance of these models was subsequently evaluated in both the training and validation cohorts. Additionally, Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values were calculated to quantify the importance of features. A total of 10 radiomics features for EAT and PAT were extracted from CT images after feature selection. The clinical model obtained an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.747 with the support vector machine (SVM), while the radiomics model reached an AUC of 0.838 with the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm. In comparison, the radiomics-clinical model using XGBoost demonstrated superior detection capability, achieving an AUC of 0.883 in the training set and maintaining high performance in the validation set, with the highest F1 score, accuracy, and precision. SHAP analysis revealed the importance of radiomics features from EAT and PAT, as well as clinical factors such as diabetes duration, global longitudinal strain (GLS), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), in detecting severe coronary artery stenosis. This study confirms that the integrated application of cardiac fat radiomics features and clinical data using machine learning models, particularly the XGBoost algorithm, facilitates the detection of severe coronary artery stenosis in T2DM patients with NAFLD. SHAP analysis further elucidates the contribution of key variables in the model, providing crucial foundations for personalized treatment decision-making.

Risk-stratified hepatocellular carcinoma screening according to the degree of obesity and progression to cirrhosis for diabetic patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in Japan: a cost-effectiveness study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of risk-stratified hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening in diabetic patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

DESIGN

A state-transition model from a healthcare payer perspective on a lifetime horizon.

SETTING

Japan.

POPULATION

A hypothetical cohort of 50-year-old diabetic patients with MASLD risk-stratified according to degree of obesity and progression to cirrhosis. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver (MASL), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and MASH cirrhosis are progressive manifestations of this specific type of liver disease.

INTERVENTION

Abdominal ultrasound (US), US with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), US with AFP and lectin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3), CT, extracellular contrast-media-enhanced MRI (ECCM-MRI), gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI (EOB-MRI) and no screening.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), early-stage HCC cases, advanced-stage HCC cases and HCC-related deaths.

RESULTS

EOB-MRI is the most cost-effective screening method for non-obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis and for obese diabetic patients with MASH and MASH cirrhosis. Cost-effectiveness was sensitive to HCC incidence in non-obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis and obese diabetic patients with MASH, and the adherence rate of HCC screening in obese diabetic patients with MASH. When the semiannual HCC incidence was between 0.008 and 0.0138 in non-obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis, US with AFP was more cost-effective than EOB-MRI. Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that EOB-MRI was 50.7%, 96.0% and 99.9% cost-effective in obese diabetic patients with MASH and non-obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis, and obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis at a willingness-to-pay level of $50 000 per QALY gained. Compared with no screening in 100 000 non-obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis and obese diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis, EOB-MRI reduced total costs by US$69 million and by US$142 million, increased lifetime effectiveness by 12 546 QALYs and by 15 815 QALYs, detected 17 873 and 21 014 early-stage HCC cases, and averted 2068 and 2471 HCC-related deaths, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Of all HCC screening methods for diabetic patients with MASH cirrhosis, EOB-MRI yields the greatest cost-saving with the highest QALYs, detects the greatest number of early-stage HCC cases and averts the greatest number of advanced-stage HCC cases and HCC-related deaths. The findings provide important insights for the precise implementation of risk-stratified HCC surveillance to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the quality of life in diabetic patients with MASLD.

Diosgenin attenuates metabolic-associated fatty liver disease through the hepatic NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent signaling pathway

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases worldwide; however, its pathogenesis and treatment methods have not been perfected. NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) is a promising therapeutic target for MAFLD. Diosgenin (DG) is a natural compound that was identified in a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which has pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and hypolipidemic activities. In this study, we examined the effects and molecular mechanisms of DG on MAFLD in vitro and in vivo. We established a rat model by administering a high-fat diet (HFD). We also generated an in vitro MAFLD model by treating HepG2 cells with free fatty acids (FFAs). The results indicated that DG attenuated lipid accumulation and liver injury in both in vitro and in vivo models. DG downregulated the expression of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speckle-like protein (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1), gasdermin D (GSDMD), GSDMD-n, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). In addition, we silenced and overexpressed NLRP3 in vitro to determine the effects of DG on antiMAFLD. Silencing NLRP3 enhanced the effect of DG on the treatment of MAFLD, whereas NLRP3 overexpression reversed its beneficial effects. Taken together, the results show that DG has a favorable effect on attenuating MAFLD through the hepatic NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent signaling pathway. DG represents a natural NLRP3 inhibitor for the MAFLD treatment.

Performance of serum-based biomarkers in fibrosis prediction of chronic hepatitis B patients in real life practice

BACKGROUND

Few studies have addressed the performance and diagnostic accuracy of laboratory-based markers for fibrosis prediction in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients yielding heterogeneous results. We aimed to study the performance of the FIB-4 and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) markers for the differentiation between significant and non-significant hepatic fibrosis in real-life practice.

METHODS

We prospectively recruited CHB patients attending the hepatology clinic to undergo shear wave elastography (SWE) and blood tests. The predictive accuracy of FIB-4 and NLR for liver fibrosis was assessed by receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 174 fully characterized CHB patients with an average age of 50.2±11.2 (29-86 years) and a male predominance (65.2%) were included. Of these, 23% had significant fibrosis (≥F2) per SWE (>7.1KPA). A significant and linear correlation was found between the SWE score and FIB-4 values (r=0.572; P<0.001). A lower cut-off of 1.43 has yielded an AUROC of 0.76, with a sensitivity of 68.8%, specificity of 79.8%, diagnostic accuracy of 78.5%, and NPV of 96%. On the contrary, NLR values were similar between significant and minimal fibrosis and were not found to be correlated with significant fibrosis (r=0.54, P=0.39).

CONCLUSIONS

FIB4 has a moderate performance and may have a valuable role in excluding significant fibrosis in CHB patients in daily practice.

Genotype-by-Environment Interactions in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Chronic Illness among Mexican Americans: The Role of Acculturation Stress

This study examines the complex interplay of genetic and environmental interactions that shape chronic illness risk. Evidence is mounting for the role of genetic expression and the immune response in the pathogenesis of chronic disease. In the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, where 90% of the population is Mexican American, chronic illnesses (including obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic liver disease, and depression) are reaching epidemic proportions. This study leverages an ongoing family study of the genetic determinants of risk for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and depression in a Mexican American population. Data collected included blood pressure, BMI, hepatic transaminases, HbA1c, depression (BDI-II), acculturation/marginalization (ARSMA-II), and liver health as assessed by elastography. Heritability and genotype-by-environment (G×E) interactions were analyzed, focusing on the marginalization/separation measure of the ARSMA-II. Significant heritabilities were found for traits such as HbA1c (h2 = 0.52), marginalization (h2 = 0.30), AST (h2 = 0.25), ALT (h2 = 0.41), and BMI (h2 = 0.55). Genotype-by-environment interactions were significant for HbA1c, AST/ALT ratio, BDI-II, and CAP, indicating that genetic factors interact with marginalization to influence these traits. This study found that acculturation stress exacerbates the genetic response to chronic illness. These findings underscore the importance of considering G×E interactions in understanding disease susceptibility and may inform targeted interventions for at-risk populations. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying molecular pathways and replicate these findings in diverse populations.

Mechanisms of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Beneficial Effects of Semaglutide: A Review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease stands as the predominant cause of chronic liver disease, with its prevalence and morbidity expected to escalate significantly, leading to substantial healthcare costs and diminished health-related quality of life. It comprises a range of disease manifestations that commence with basic steatosis, involving the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes, a distinctive histological feature. If left untreated, it often advances to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, marked by inflammatory and/or fibrotic hepatic changes, leading to the eventual development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of the liver's vital role in body metabolism, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is considered both a consequence and a contributor to the metabolic abnormalities observed in the metabolic syndrome. As of date, there are no authorized pharmacological agents for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Semaglutide, with its glycemic and weight loss advantages, could potentially offer benefits for individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This review aims to investigate the impact of semaglutide on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Independent Associations of Aortic Calcification with Cirrhosis and Liver Related Mortality in Veterans with Chronic Liver Disease

INTRODUCTION

Abdominal aortic calcifications (AAC) are incidentally found on medical imaging and useful cardiovascular burden approximations. The Morphomic Aortic Calcification Score (MAC) leverages automated deep learning methods to quantify and score AACs. While associations of AAC and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been described, relationships of AAC with other liver diseases and clinical outcome are sparse. This study's purpose was to evaluate AAC and liver-related death in a cohort of Veterans with chronic liver disease (CLD).

METHODS

We utilized the VISN 10 CLD cohort, a regional cohort of Veterans with the three forms of CLD: NAFLD, hepatitis C (HCV), alcohol-associated (ETOH), seen between 2008 and 2014, with abdominal CT scans (n = 3604). Associations between MAC and cirrhosis development, liver decompensation, liver-related death, and overall death were evaluated with Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

The full cohort demonstrated strong associations of MAC and cirrhosis after adjustment: HR 2.13 (95% CI 1.63, 2.78), decompensation HR 2.19 (95% CI 1.60, 3.02), liver-related death HR 2.13 (95% CI 1.46, 3.11), and overall death HR 1.47 (95% CI 1.27, 1.71). These associations seemed to be driven by the non-NAFLD groups for decompensation and liver-related death [HR 2.80 (95% CI 1.52, 5.17; HR 2.34 (95% CI 1.14, 4.83), respectively].

DISCUSSION

MAC was strongly and independently associated with cirrhosis, liver decompensation, liver-related death, and overall death. Surprisingly, stratification results demonstrated comparable or stronger associations among those with non-NAFLD etiology. These findings suggest abdominal aortic calcification may predict liver disease severity and clinical outcomes in patients with CLD.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in young Korean adults

AIMS

To investigate the impact of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in young Korean adults.

METHODS

Data were sourced from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort, comprising adults aged 20-39 who underwent health examinations between 2009 and 2012. Participants were grouped based on the presence of MAFLD and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), both individually and in combination. The categorizations included Neither-FLD, NAFLD-only, MAFLD-only, or Both-FLD. Incident diabetes was identified through claims data during the follow-up period.

RESULTS

Among 6,232,656 participants, 676,747 (10.8 %) had MAFLD. During a median follow-up of 9.5 years, 182,291 incident diabetes cases were identified. Multivariate analysis revealed a significantly higher diabetes risk in the MAFLD group compared to those in the Non-MAFLD group (HR = 6.148, 95 % CI, 6.084-6.212). Notably, diabetes incidence was highest in FLI ≥ 60 subgroup with BMI ≥ 23 and metabolic syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

MAFLD is associated with a 6.1-fold increased diabetes risk in young adults, underscoring the urgent need for early intervention to mitigate this risk.

Metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease in patients with plaque psoriasis: a case-control study and serological comparison

Background

The relationship between plaque psoriasis and both MASLD and lean MASLD has not been sufficiently explored in the current literature.

Method

This retrospective and observational study was carried out from January 2021 to January 2023 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. Patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis and a control group consisting of individuals undergoing routine physical examinations were enrolled. The incidence of MASLD and lean MASLD among these groups was compared. Additionally, patients with plaque psoriasis were divided into those with MASLD, those with lean MASLD, and a control group with only psoriasis for a serological comparative analysis.

Results

The incidence of MASLD in the observation group and the control group was 43.67% (69/158) and 22.15% (35/158), respectively (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the incidence of lean MASLD within the observation group and the control group was 10.76% (17/158) and 4.43% (7/158), respectively (p < 0.01). After controlling for potential confounding variables, plaque psoriasis was identified as an independent risk factor for MASLD with an odds ratio of 1.88 (95% cl: 1.10-3.21). In terms of serological comparison, compared to the simple psoriasis group, we observed a significant elevation in the tumor marker CYFRA21-1 levels in both groups compared to the control group with simple psoriasis (p < 0.01). Moreover, the MASLD group exhibited elevated levels of inflammatory markers and psoriasis score, whereas these effects were mitigated in the lean MASLD group.

Conclusion

The prevalence of MASLD and lean MASLD is higher among patients with psoriasis. Those suffering from psoriasis along with MASLD show increased psoriasis scores and inflammatory markers compared to those without metabolic disorders. MASLD likely worsens psoriasis conditions, indicating the necessity of targeted health education for affected individuals to reduce the risk of MASLD, this education should include guidelines on exercise and diet. In serological assessments, elevated levels of cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) were noted in both MASLD and lean MASLD groups, implying a potential synergistic role between psoriasis and MASLD.

Exploring the interconnected between type 2 diabetes mellitus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization analysis

Epidemiological and clinical studies have indicated a higher risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), implying a potentially shared genetic etiology, which is still less explored. Genetic links between T2DM and NAFLD were assessed using linkage disequilibrium score regression and pleiotropic analysis under composite null hypothesis. European GWAS data have identified shared genes, whereas SNP-level pleiotropic analysis under composite null hypothesis has explored pleiotropic loci. generalized gene-set analysis of GWAS data determines pleiotropic pathways and tissue enrichment using eQTL mapping to identify associated genes. Mendelian randomization analysis was used to investigate the causal relationship between NAFLD and T2DM. Linkage disequilibrium score regression analysis revealed a strong genetic correlation between T2DM and NAFLD, and identified 24 pleiotropic loci. These single-nucleotide polymorphisms are primarily involved in biosynthetic regulation, RNA biosynthesis, and pancreatic development. generalized gene-set analysis of GWAS data analysis revealed significant enrichment in multiple brain tissues. Gene mapping using these 3 methods led to the identification of numerous pleiotropic genes, with differences observed in liver and kidney tissues. These genes were mainly enriched in pancreas, brain, and liver tissues. The Mendelian randomization method indicated a significantly positive unidirectional causal relationship between T2DM and NAFLD. Our study identified a shared genetic structure between NAFLD and T2DM, providing new insights into the genetic pathogenesis and mechanisms of NAFLD and T2DM comorbidities.

Liver and cardiovascular disease outcomes in metabolic syndrome and diabetic populations: Bi-directional opportunities to multiply preventive strategies

The incidence and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are rising globally. MetS and T2DM are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which is partly related to liver and cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance is central to MetS and T2DM pathophysiology, and drives ectopic fat deposition in the liver, also known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). MetS and T2DM are not only risk factors for developing MASLD but are also independently associated with disease progression to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition to the risk of liver disease, MetS and T2DM are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure (HF). Importantly, there is a bidirectional relationship between liver and CVD due to shared disease pathophysiology in patients with MetS and T2DM. In this review, we have described studies exploring the relationship of MetS and T2DM with MASLD and CVD, independently. Following this we discuss studies evaluating the interplay between liver and cardiovascular risk as well as pragmatic risk mitigation strategies in this patient population.

Correlation between insulin resistance and the rate of neutrophils-lymphocytes, monocytes-lymphocytes, platelets-lymphocytes in type 2 diabetic patients

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance (IR) was a prominent feature commonly observed in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM Individuals often exhibited a concomitant presence of low-grade chronic inflammation. In this study conducted retrospectively, the aim was to investigate the connection between neutrophils-lymphocytes rate (NLR), monocytes-lymphocytes rate (MLR), platelets-lymphocytes rate (PLR) and IR, specifically among individuals with T2DM.

METHOD

This study encompassed a cohort of 405 individuals diagnosed with T2DM, comprising cases from January 2021 to November 2022. On the basis of whether there was IR or not, these sufferers were categorized into two cohorts, namely T2DM with IR group (292 cases) and T2DM without IR group (113 cases), as determined by a homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) value exceeding 2.0.

RESULTS

The findings of this study demonstrated compelling evidence of distinct biomarker profiles between individuals with T2DM who had IR and those without IR. Specifically, the IR individuals displayed notably raise NLR, MLR, PLR, C reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA). Additionally, there was a noticeable decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Furthermore, IR was negatively correlated with SOD values, while positive associations were found between IR and NLR, CRP, and SAA levels (p < 0.05). Moreover, a rise in NLR and PLR levels demonstrated an identical relationship with the prevalence of IR (p = 0.007, p = 0.025, separately). The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated that the areas under the curve (AUC) for NLR, MLR, PLR, CRP, SAA and SOD in predicting occurrence of IR in T2DM patients were 0.603, 0.575, 0.581, 0.644, 0.594 and 0.632 respectively, with sensitivity of 79.5%, 95.2%, 46.9%,54.1% (or 51.4), 47.6% (or 45.7%) and 98.6% and specificity of 37.2%, 19.5%, 69.9%, 69% (or 71.7%), 71.6% (or 73.5%) and 23% respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the notion that higher magnitude of NLR, PLR, MLR, CRP, and SAA values, corresponded to lower SOD levels, indicating a more severe degree of IR in T2DM patients. Additionally, NLR, PLR, MLR, CRP, SAA, and SOD demonstrated predictive potential for assessing IR. Regrettably, due to the retrospective nature of this study, it was not feasible to take a measurement the majority of inflammatory factors and reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Systematic analysis of the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and tissue iron overload: promising areas for the use of polypeptide therapy

Iron overload in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a fairly common phenomenon that receives very little attention in clinical practice. However, iron overload, leading to hemosiderosis (deposition of “indigestible” nanodispersed iron oxides in various tissues) significantly aggravates NAFLD, stimulating increased chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and hemosiderosis of other organs. As a result, ferroptosis of hepatocytes occurs (apoptosis caused by iron overload and hemosiderosis), which accelerates the transformation of non-alcoholic steatosis into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and, subsequently, into liver cirrhosis. Iron overload is aggravated by micronutrient deficiencies and pathogenic intestinal microbiota. The paper presents the results of a systematic analysis of this issue, describes the prospects for therapy using micronutrients and human placenta hydrolysates (HPP), which contribute not only to the regeneration of liver tissue, but also to the normalization of iron homeostasis.

Comparative effectiveness of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors on liver function in patients with type 2 diabetes in Japan: A real-world data analysis

AIM

To compare the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) versus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4is) on liver function in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Japan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a Japanese retrospective cohort study using the RWD Database (1 January 2015 to 24 September 2021). Patients newly treated with an SGLT2i or a DPP4i were matched 1:4 (SGLT2i:DPP4i) using propensity score. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline to 1 year after the index date in alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Secondary endpoints included change from baseline in various laboratory test results, including the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), albumin and HbA1c. Endpoints were compared between treatment groups using Welch's t-test in the full population and in subgroups stratified by baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics of 955 and 3063 matched patients newly treated with an SGLT2i and a DPP4i, respectively, were well balanced. Patients receiving an SGLT2i had significantly greater reductions in ALT, FIB-4 index and GGT and a significantly greater increase in albumin than patients receiving a DPP4i. A significantly greater change from baseline in ALT was observed in the SGLT2i group than in the DPP4i group among subgroups with lower baseline FIB-4 index and HbA1c.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, improvements in various measures, including ALT, the FIB-4 index, GGT and albumin, were observed with SGLT2is compared with DPP4is, suggesting that SGLT2is may provide hepatoprotective benefits, including the prevention of liver fibrosis, in patients with T2D in Japan.

Associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic liver diseases: evidence from a Mendelian randomization study in Europeans and East Asians

Objective

Multiple observational studies have demonstrated an association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic liver diseases (CLDs). However, the causality of T2DM on CLDs remained unknown in various ethnic groups.

Methods

We obtained instrumental variables for T2DM and conducted a two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine the causal effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), viral hepatitis, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection risk in Europeans and East Asians. The primary analysis utilized the inverse variance weighting (IVW) technique to evaluate the causal relationship between T2DM and CLDs. In addition, we conducted a series of rigorous analyses to bolster the reliability of our MR results.

Results

In Europeans, we found that genetic liability to T2DM has been linked with increased risk of NAFLD (IVW : OR =1.3654, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2250-1.5219, p=1.85e-8), viral hepatitis (IVW : OR =1.1173, 95%CI, 1.0271-1.2154, p=0.0098), and a suggestive positive association between T2DM and HCC (IVW : OR=1.2671, 95%CI, 1.0471-1.5333, p=0.0150), HBV (IVW : OR=1.1908, 95% CI, 1.0368-1.3677, p=0.0134). No causal association between T2DM and HCV was discovered. Among East Asians, however, there was a significant inverse association between T2DM and the proxies of NAFLD (ALT: IVW OR=0.9752, 95%CI 0.9597-0.9909, p=0.0021; AST: IVW OR=0.9673, 95%CI, 0.9528-0.9821, p=1.67e-5), and HCV (IVW: OR=0.9289, 95%CI, 0.8852-0.9747, p=0.0027). Notably, no causal association was found between T2DM and HCC, viral hepatitis, or HBV.

Conclusion

Our MR analysis revealed varying causal associations between T2DM and CLDs in East Asians and Europeans. Further research is required to investigate the potential mechanisms in various ethnic groups, which could yield new insights into early screening and prevention strategies for CLDs in T2DM patients.

Liraglutide Improves Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Diabetic Mice by Activating Autophagy Through AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) combined nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are characterized by metabolic disruptions. Liraglutide has been proved to be effective in T2DM. If LRG could regulate NAFLD combined T2DM has not been reported.

METHODS

Intraperitoneal injection of 1% streptozotocin (STZ) plus high-sugar and high-fat diet was used to induce NAFLD combined T2DM animal model. Palmitic acid (200 µmol/L) and glucose (25 mmol/L) incubation were used to induce cell model. The cell apoptosis, mRNA and protein expression were measured through flow cytometry, PCR, and Western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS

Liraglutide significantly improved the liver injury of NAFLD combined T2DM rats, but Com-C reversed the effect of liraglutide. The decreased AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway in the NAFLD combined T2DM animals was greatly activated by liraglutide. Com-C reversed the protection effects of liraglutide on palmitic acid+glucose induced cell damage.

CONCLUSION

Liraglutide could greatly alleviate the damage caused by NAFLD+T2DM and palmitic acid+glucose. The protection effects of liraglutide were greatly inhibited by suppressing AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. This research might provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD combined T2DM disease.

Progress in research of type 2 diabetes with nonalcoholic fatty liver in traditional Chinese and Western medicine

By analyzing the recent relevant literature on type 2 diabetes with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, this paper summarizes its etiology, pathogenesis, syndrome differentiation and treatment, clinical treatment, and other aspects from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. There has been some progress in the treatment of this disease in both TCM and Western medicine, but further in-depth study is required to explore its pathogenesis. Moreover, the etiology, pathogenesis, and syndrome differentiation of this disease in TCM are not yet unified, and large-scale, multicenter, and prospective clinical research is insufficient. There is also a lack of research on the action and targets of TCM in this disease.

Sex Differences in the Association Between AST/ALT and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Japanese Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES/INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the association between Aspartate Transaminase (AST)/Alanine transaminase(ALT) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients and to determine whether there were sex differences.

METHODS

In the retrospective study, we collected data on NAFLD patients (1, 896 men and 465 women) at Murakami Memorial Hospital from 2004 to 2015. Data were stratified by sex to investigate the association between AST/ALT and T2DM incidence by sex. Multiple regression analysis, smooth curve fitting model and subgroup analysis were used to determine the correlation, non-linear relationship and threshold effect between AST/ALT and T2DM.

RESULTS

In our study, 157 men and 40 women developed T2DM at follow-up. After adjusting for risk factors, AST/ALT was significantly associated with T2DM in men with NAFLD but not in women with NAFLD. The risk of T2DM increased as the AST/ALT ratio decreased. Besides, in male NAFLD patients, AST/ALT showed a non-linear relationship with T2DM, with an inflection point value of 0.964. When the AST to ALT ratio was below the threshold (AST/ALT <0.964), AST/ALT was significantly negatively associated with T2DM (HR = 0.177, 95% CI 0.055-0.568; P = 0.0036). In contrast, when AST/ALT >0.964, no significant association was found (HR = 3.174, 95% CI 0.345-29.167; P = 0.3074). Moreover, subgroup analysis showed that GGT could alter the relationship between AST/ALT and T2DM. In the group with GGT ≤ 40, AST/ALT was strongly associated with T2DM (HR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.09-0.66; P = 0.0059).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that there were sex differences in the association between AST/ALT and T2DM in NAFLD participants. A non-linear association between AST/ALT and T2DM was observed in males. AST/ALT in the normal GGT group (GGT ≤40) might better facilitate the early screening of T2DM.

Effect of exercise intervention on clinical parameters in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The effect of exercise on clinical parameters in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is unknown. In this meta-analysis, we identified and evaluated the effect of exercise on clinical parameters (BMI, ALT, lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism) in patients with NAFLD combined with T2DM. We conducted a comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and CNKI in December 2022. Data from relevant randomized controlled trials were collected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. 6 eligible studies with 238 subjects were finally included. We used Review Manager 5.3 for meta-analysis. The study found that exercise improved BMI, ALT, TC, LDL-C, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, TG, but did not significantly improve HDL-C. Subgroup analysis showed that high-intensity interval training significantly improved BMI (SMD: -0.43, 95% CI: -0.80, -0.06), ALT (SMD: -4.63, 95% CI: -8.42, -0.83), TC (SMD: -0.94, 95% CI: -1.82, -0.07), LDL-C (SMD: -0. 87, 95% CI: -1.26, -0.49), HbA1c (SMD: -1.12, 95% CI: -1.75, -0.48), HOMA-IR (SMD: -0.59, 95% CI: -0.94, -0.25); moderate-intensity continuous training improved ALT (SMD: -3.96, 95% CI: -7.71, -0.21), TG (SMD: -1.59, 95% CI: -2.58, -0.61), HbA1c (SMD: -0.71, 95% CI: -1.37, -0.05), HOMA-IR (SMD: -1.73, 95% CI: -3.40, -0. 06), and to some extent HDL-C levels (SMD: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.04, 1.02); resistance training improved LDL-C (SMD: -2.06, 95% CI: -3.14, -0.98). In conclusion, exercise improved indicators in patients with NAFLD combined with T2DM, but the improvement indicators varied by type of exercise.

Comparative effectiveness of multiple different treatment regimens for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are closely related and mutually contribute to the disease's development. There are many treatment options available to patients. We provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence on the treatment effects of several potential interventions for NAFLD with T2DM.

METHODS

This systematic review and network meta-analysis included searches of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception to June 30, 2023, for randomised controlled trials of treatment of NAFLD with T2DM. We performed Bayesian network meta-analyses to summarise effect estimates of comparisons between interventions. We applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) frameworks to rate all comparative outcomes' certainty in effect estimates, categorise interventions, and present the findings. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022342373.

RESULTS

Four thousand three hundred and sixty-nine records were retrieved from the database and other methods, of which 24 records were eligible for studies enrolling 1589 participants. Eight clinical indicators and 14 interventions were finally in focus. Referring to the lower surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) and the league matrix table, exenatide and liraglutide, which are also glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), showed excellent potential to reduce liver fat content, control glycemia, reduce body weight, and improve liver function and insulin resistance. Exenatide was more effective in reducing glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (mean difference (MD) 0.32, 95%CI 0.12 to 0.52), lowering BMI (MD 0.81, 95%CI 0.18 to 1.45), and lowering alanine transaminase (ALT) (MD 10.96, 95%CI 5.27 to 16.66) compared to liraglutide. However, this evidence was assessed as low certainty. Omega-3 was the only intervention that did not have a tendency to lower HbA1c, with standard-treatment (STA-TRE) as reference (MD - 0.17, 95%CI - 0.42 to 0.07). Glimepiride is the only intervention that causes an increase in ALT levels, with standard-treatment (STA-TRE) as reference (MD - 11.72, 95%CI - 17.82 to - 5.57). Based on the available evidence, the treatment effects of pioglitazone, dapagliflozin, and liraglutide have a high degree of confidence.

CONCLUSIONS

The high confidence mandates the confident application of these findings as guides for clinical practice. Dapagliflozin and pioglitazone are used for glycaemic control in patients with NAFLD combined with T2DM, and liraglutide is used for weight loss therapy in patients with abdominal obesity. The available evidence does not demonstrate the credibility of the effectiveness of other interventions in reducing liver fat content, visceral fat area, ALT, and insulin resistance. Future studies should focus on the clinical application of GLP-1Ras and the long-term prognosis of patients.

Improved Detection of Fibrotic Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Community-Based Referrals

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease with increasing rates globally. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have higher risk of developing NAFLD. Patients with a higher degree of liver fibrosis in NAFLD are at an increased risk for liver-related mortality, but get missed easily during the referral process. This project aims to improve early detection and linkage-to-care of fibrotic NAFLD patients. Methods: We utilized a combination of automated electronic health record (EHR)-based fibrosis (FIB)-4 score and directed provider education. A health-system wide FIB-4 score calculator that providers can easily add to their workflow for NAFLD patient triaging. Data were analyzed at 6 and 12 months after implementation. Results: Postimplementation, there was an increase in patients referred to hepatology with higher degree of liver fibrosis and decreased referral to hepatology with low risk of liver fibrosis, measured by FIB-4 score. At baseline, ∼55% of referred patient to hepatology had FIB-4 score <1.3 compared to 38% at 12 months postimplementation. There was an increase in referral of patients with FIB-4 scores >1.3 when compared to preinterventions, 62% versus 45%. This is most pronounced in patients with severe fibrotic disease with FIB-4 score >2.67, 30% versus 12%. Conclusions: Automated FIB-4 score in EHR can improve appropriate linkage-to-care for at-risk fibrotic NAFLD, especially when coupled with targeted provider education. The durability of such improvement is essential to study along with the need to increase broad acceptance across health systems.

Liver endothelial cells in NAFLD and transition to NASH and HCC

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, which is characterised by obesity, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. NAFLD is the most frequent liver disease worldwide and more than 10% of NAFLD patients progress to the inflammatory and fibrotic stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to end-stage liver disease including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most frequent primary malignant liver tumor. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) are strategically positioned at the interface between blood and hepatic parenchyma. LSECs are highly specialized cells, characterised by the presence of transcellular pores, called fenestrae, and exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic characteristics under physiological conditions. However, during NAFLD development they undergo capillarisation and acquire a phenotype similar to vascular endothelial cells, actively promoting all pathophysiological aspects of NAFLD, including steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. LSEC dysfunction is critical for the progression to NASH and HCC while restoring LSEC homeostasis appears to be a promising approach to prevent NAFLD progression and its complications and even reverse tissue damage. In this review we present current information on the role of LSEC throughout the progressive phases of NAFLD, summarising in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence and data from human studies.

Coagulation Dysfunctions in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Relevance

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases. Its incidence is progressively rising and it is possibly becoming a worldwide epidemic. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of diseases accounting for the chronic accumulation of fat within the hepatocytes due to various causes, excluding excessive alcohol consumption. In this study, we aimed to focus on finding evidence regarding the implications of oxidative stress and inflammatory processes that form the multifaceted pathophysiological tableau in relation to thrombotic events that co-occur in NAFLD and associated chronic liver diseases. Recent evidence on the pathophysiology of NAFLD suggests that a complex pattern of multidirectional components, such as prooxidative, proinflammatory, and prothrombotic components, better explains the multiple factors that promote the mechanisms underlying the fatty acid excess and subsequent processes. As there is extensive evidence on the multi-component nature of NAFLD pathophysiology, further studies could address the complex interactions that underlie the development and progression of the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to describe possible pathophysiological mechanisms connecting the molecular impairments with the various clinical manifestations, focusing especially on the interactions among oxidative stress, inflammation, and coagulation dysfunctions. Thus, we described the possible bidirectional modulation among coagulation homeostasis, oxidative stress, and inflammation that occurs in the various stages of NAFLD.

U-shaped association between triglyceride and risk of incident diabetes in normoglycemic males with NAFLD: A population-base cohort study

Background: Serum triglyceride (TG) was an important biomarker for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the association between TG and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus is still under debate with some studies suggesting that elevated TG increase the risk of incident T2DM while others indicative of a negative relationship. These controversial findings may be partially due to the inclusion of the participants with NAFLD. The association between TG and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in people with NAFLD remained unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the relationship between the baseline TG levels and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in a male Japanese cohort with NAFLD. Methods: A total of 1221 males with NAFLD were enrolled from the Nagala (NAFLD in the Gifu Area Longitudinal analysis) study conducted from 2004 to 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to examine the relationship between baseline TG concentration and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. A two-piecewise linear regression model was explored to evaluate the threshold effect of the baseline TG levels on type 2 diabetes mellitus incidence by using a smoothing function. Results: During a median follow-up of 6.05 years, 39 males with NAFLD at baseline developed type 2 diabetes mellitus. The risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with baseline TG concentration in males with NAFLD after fully adjustment for confounders, with per 10 mg/dl elevation in TG levels increasing the risk of incident diabetes by 8.5% (HR=1.085, CI=1.039-1.132; P<0.001). However, no typical dose-dependent positive association between type 2 diabetes mellitus incidence and the TG levels was observed across the TG tertiles. Interestingly, a U-shaped association between TG concentration and risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus was revealed by the two-piecewise linear regression analysis. Baseline TG concentration lower than the threshold values (TG <53mg/dl) were negatively associated with risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. With each 10mg/dl increase in baseline TG levels, the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus decreased by nearly 59% (HR=0.413, 95% CI=0.220-0.778). In contrast, when TG levels were higher than the threshold values (TG>53mg/dl), the risk of incident diabetes increased 9.1% with every 10mg TG elevation (HR=1.091, 95% CI=1.046-1.137). Conclusions: A U-shaped relationship was observed between baseline TG levels and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in a male normoglycemic Japanese population with NAFLD, although extrapolation of the finding to other populations should be made with caution.

Incidence of Prediabetes/Diabetes among Women with Prior Gestational Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Prospective Observational Study

Background and Objectives

This prospective longitudinal study aims to evaluate and compare the incidence of prediabetes/diabetes among women stratified at the baseline postpartum visit according to the prior GDM and NAFLD status.

Methods

Of the 309 women with baseline postpartum assessment at a median of 16 months following the index delivery, 200 (64.7%) [GDM: 137 (68.5%), normoglycaemia: 63 (31.5%)] were available for the follow-up analysis (performed at median of 54 months following the index delivery) and were participants for this study. We obtained relevant demographic, medical and obstetric details and performed a 75 g OGTT with glucose estimation at 0 and 120 min. NAFLD status was defined by ultrasonography at the baseline visit. Participants were divided into four groups: no NAFLD and no prior GDM (group 1), NAFLD but no prior GDM (group 2), prior GDM but no NAFLD (group 3), and NAFLD and prior GDM (group 4).

Results

The mean age of study participants (n = 200) was 32.2 ± 5.1 years, and the mean interval between the two visits was 34.8 ± 5.5 months. A total of 74 (37%) women had progression to prediabetes/diabetes [incidence rate of 12.8/100 woman-years]. The incidence rates (per 100 woman-years) were 8.6, 8.9, 13.4 and 15.3 in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for incident (new-onset) prediabetes/diabetes in group 4 (reference: group 1) was 1.99 (95% CI 0.80, 4.96, P = 0.140). Among women with baseline NAFLD (irrespective of GDM status), the risk of incident prediabetes/diabetes increased with an increase in the duration of follow-up (3.03-fold higher per year of follow-up, P = 0.029) and was significantly higher in women who were not employed (6.43, 95% CI 1.74, 23.7, P = 0.005) and in women with GDM requiring insulin/metformin during pregnancy (4.46, 95% CI 1.27, 15.64, P = 0.019).

Conclusion

NAFLD and GDM increased the risk for glycaemic deterioration in young Indian women. Future studies should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of lifestyle and behavioural interventions in such high-risk women.

Innovative Therapeutic Approaches in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: When Knowing Your Patient Is Key

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of disorders ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatic steatosis may result from the dysfunction of multiple pathways and thus multiple molecular triggers involved in the disease have been described. The development of NASH entails the activation of inflammatory and fibrotic processes. Furthermore, NAFLD is also strongly associated with several extra-hepatic comorbidities, i.e., metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. Due to the heterogeneity of NAFLD presentations and the multifactorial etiology of the disease, clinical trials for NAFLD treatment are testing a wide range of interventions and drugs, with little success. Here, we propose a narrative review of the different phenotypic characteristics of NAFLD patients, whose disease may be triggered by different agents and driven along different pathophysiological pathways. Thus, correct phenotyping of NAFLD patients and personalized treatment is an innovative therapeutic approach that may lead to better therapeutic outcomes.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and Metabolic Repercussions: The Vicious Cycle and Its Interplay with Inflammation

The prevalence of metabolic-related disorders, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), has been increasing. Therefore, developing improved methods for the prevention, treatment, and detection of these two conditions is also necessary. In this study, our primary focus was on examining the role of chronic inflammation as a potential link in the pathogenesis of these diseases and their interconnections. A comprehensive search of the PubMed database using keywords such as "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease", "type 2 diabetes mellitus", "chronic inflammation", "pathogenesis", and "progression" yielded 177 relevant papers for our analysis. The findings of our study revealed intricate relationships between the pathogenesis of NAFLD and DM2, emphasizing the crucial role of inflammatory processes. These connections involve various molecular functions, including altered signaling pathways, patterns of gene methylation, the expression of related peptides, and up- and downregulation of several genes. Our study is a foundational platform for future research into the intricate relationship between NAFLD and DM2, allowing for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the potential for introducing new treatment standards.

Perspectives In Weight Control In Diabetes - Sglt2 Inhibitors And Glp-1-Glucagon Dual Agonism

Treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and obesity should include glycemic control and sustained weight loss. However, organ protection and/or risk reduction for co-morbidities have also emerged as important goals. Here, we define this combined treatment approach as 'weight loss plus' and describe it as a metabolic concept where increased energy expenditure is central to outcomes. We suggest there are currently two drug classes - sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-glucagon dual agonists - that can facilitate this 'weight loss plus' approach. We describe evidence supporting that both classes address the underlying pathophysiology of T2D and facilitate normalization of metabolism through increased periods of energy expenditure, which effect other organ systems and may facilitate long-term cardio-renal benefits. These benefits have been demonstrated in trials of SGLT2is, and appear, to some degree, to be independent of glycemia and substantial weight loss. The combined effect of caloric restriction and metabolic correction facilitated by SGLT2i and GLP-1-glucagon dual agonists can be conceptualized as mimicking dietary restriction and physical activity, a phenomenon not previously observed with drugs whose benefits predominantly arise from absolute weight loss, and which may be key to achieving a 'weight loss plus' approach to treatment.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—The Chicken or the Egg Dilemma

In clinical practice, we often deal with patients who suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) concurrent with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The etiopathogenesis of NAFLD is mainly connected with insulin resistance (IR) and obesity. Similarly, the latter patients are in the process of developing T2DM. However, the mechanisms of NAFLD and T2DM coexistence have not been fully elucidated. Considering that both diseases and their complications are of epidemic proportions and significantly affect the length and quality of life, we aimed to answer which of these diseases appears first and thereby highlight the need for their diagnosis and treatment. To address this question, we present and discuss the epidemiological data, diagnoses, complications and pathomechanisms of these two coexisting metabolic diseases. This question is difficult to answer due to the lack of a uniform procedure for NAFLD diagnosis and the asymptomatic nature of both diseases, especially at their beginning stages. To conclude, most researchers suggest that NAFLD appears as the first disease and starts the sequence of circumstances leading ultimately to the development of T2DM. However, there are also data suggesting that T2DM develops before NAFLD. Despite the fact that we cannot definitively answer this question, it is very important to bring the attention of clinicians and researchers to the coexistence of NAFLD and T2DM in order to prevent their consequences.

Metabolomics analysis of the serum metabolic signature of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease combined with prediabetes model rats after the intervention of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides combined with aerobic activity

Metabolic disorders accompany nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), associated with prediabetes. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) seem to be a potential prebiotic, and aerobic exercise has shown protective effects on NAFLD with prediabetes. However, their combined effects on NAFLD and prediabetes remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of LBP and aerobic exercise alone, and their combined effects on the metabolomics of serum, and explored the potential mechanisms utilizing a high-fat diet-induced rat model of NAFLD and prediabetes. It provided the metabolic basis for the pathogenesis and early diagnosis of prediabetes complicated with NAFLD. Untargeted metabolomics profiling was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry to analyze the changes in overall metabolites in each group of samples. An orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis model with variable importance on projection >1 and p < 0.05 were used as the screening criteria to screen the significant differential metabolites and analyze the expression changes and functional pathways. Different intervention treatments showed clear discrimination by univariate and multivariate analyses. The model group had a high relative level of expression of lipids. Comparison between the two groups showed steroids with high expression after LBP and aerobic exercise treatment separately and alkaloids and fatty acyls with high expression after aerobic exercise and the combination intervention, respectively. Comparison of the five groups showed some of the metabolites to be differently expressed after the intervention improved lipid and fatty acid metabolism. The three types of intervention had sound effects on the changes in liver index for the diseases studied. Furthermore, the combination treatment may be a better choice for disease prevention and treatment than a single treatment. Our analysis of metabolomics confirmed that the different treatments had significant regulatory effects on the metabolic pathways. Our findings strongly support the possibility that aerobic exercise combined with LBP can be regarded as a potential therapeutic method for NAFLD in prediabetics.

Elevated alanine transaminase is nonlinearly associated with in-hospital death in ICU-admitted diabetic ketoacidosis patients

AIMS

To investigate the association between alanine transaminase (ALT) and in-hospital death in patients admitted to the intensive care unit for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

METHODS

A cohort of 2,684 patients was constructed from the eICU Collaborative Research Database. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were summarized. Cox regressions with restricted cubic spline functions were modelled to explore the association between alanine transaminase and in-hospital death. Subgroup analyses were conducted between sexes, age groups, and people with/without obesity.

RESULTS

After adjusting multiple confounders, a nonlinear, S-shaped association between ALT and in-hospital death was found. Compared to patients at median ALT, patients at the 90th percentile of ALT have a 1.88 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-2.62) times higher hazard of in-hospital death in the unstratified cohort. Similar results were found in males (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.69, 95 % CI: 1.24-2.30); patients aged under 65 years (HR = 1.65, 95 % CI: 1.09-2.49); patients aged 65 years or above (HR = 3.45, 95 % CI: 1.67-7.14); non-obese patients (HR = 1.52, 95 % CI: 1.00-2.32); and obese patients (HR = 2.76, 95 % CI: 1.38-5.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated ALT is robustly associated with in-hospital death in ICU-admitted DKA patients across several subgroups. Close monitoring of ALT in these patients is recommended.

Diosgenin attenuates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes through regulating SIRT6-related fatty acid uptake

BACKGROUND

More than 70% of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) concomitantly suffer from Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the coexistence and interaction of them increases the intractability of NAFLD. With the protective effect against hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis, SIRT6 is becoming a notable target of NAFLD. Diosgenin, an active monomer from Chinese herbs, has been reported to protect against NAFLD.

PURPOSE

This study aims to figure out the mechanism how diosgenin alleviate NAFLD in T2DM and the relationship with SIRT6.

METHODS

In vivo studies used spontaneous diabetic db/db mice and divided them into two parts. The first part included four groups consisting of control (Con) group, model (Mod) group, low dose of diosgenin (DL) group and high dose of diosgenin (DH) group. The second part included four groups consisting of Con group, Mod group, DH+OSS (OSS_128167, inhibitor of SIRT6) group, MDL (MDL800, agonist of SIRT6) group. HepG2 cell line was selected in study in vitro, which was mainly composed of six groups including Con group, palmitic acid (PA) group, PA+DL group, PA+DH group, PA+DH+OSS group, PA+MDL group. OGTT, Biochemical biomarker (including TG, TC, AST, ALT), inflammatory biomarker (including IL-6 and TNF-α) were measured. HE, Oil Red O, and DHE staining were conducted. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, mRNA-seq, and qPCR were used to explore the mechanism.

RESULTS

Results in the first part of study in vivo indicated that diosgenin protected against lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, cell injury, and light inflammatory of liver in db/db mice and regulated the expression of SIRT6 and fatty acid transporter including CD36, FATP2, FABP1. The effect of diosgenin could be reversed in DH+OSS group and the same effect was observed in MDL group in the second part of study in vivo. The same results were also noted in followed study in vitro. Diosgenin inhibited the fatty acids uptake and regulated the expression of SIRT6 and fatty acid transporter including CD36, FATP2, and FABP1 in PA-induced hepG2 cells, and which was reversed in DH+OSS group and resembled in MDL group.

CONCLUSIONS

Diosgenin could attenuate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes through regulating SIRT6-related fatty acid uptake.

Metabolic Risk Factors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Prospective Study

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a fast-growing public health problem and predisposes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a significant proportion of patients. Metabolic alterations might underlie the progression of NAFLD to HCC, but the magnitudes of risk and population-attributable risk fractions (PAFs) for various metabolic conditions that are associated with HCC risk in patients with NAFLD are unknown. We investigated the associations between metabolic conditions and HCC development in individuals with a prior history of NAFLD. The study included 11,245 participants in the SEER-Medicare database, comprising 1310 NAFLD-related HCC cases and 9835 NAFLD controls. We excluded individuals with competing liver diseases (e.g., alcoholic liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis). Baseline pre-existing diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and metabolic syndrome were assessed. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). PAFs were also calculated for each metabolic condition. The results show that diabetes (OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 2.04-2.79), metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.49-2.01), and obesity (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.43-1.85) were associated with a higher HCC risk in individuals with NAFLD. The highest PAF for HCC was observed for pre-existing diabetes (42.1%, 95% CI: 35.7-48.5), followed by metabolic syndrome (28.8%, 95% CI: 21.7-35.9) and obesity (13.2%, 95% CI: 9.6-16.8). The major predisposing factors for HCC in individuals with NAFLD are diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and obesity, and their control would be critically important in mitigating the rising incidence of NAFLD-related HCC.

Association of serum C-peptide with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in ultrasound-defined nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prognostic value of C-peptide in long-term nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mortality.

METHODS

A total of 4670 participants with NAFLD were enrolled in this study. Multivariable Cox regression models evaluated the links between C-peptide levels and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk using adjusted hazard ratios (aHR). In addition, a two‑piecewise Cox model with penalized splines was adapted to investigate the nonlinear relationships between C-peptide and mortality.

RESULTS

After a mean follow‑up period of 20 years, 1714 deaths from all causes were recorded. In an adjusted Cox regression analysis, using the low C-peptide group as the reference (quartile 1), higher C-peptide (quartile 4) was notably associated with increased all-cause mortality (aHR =1.39; 95% CI: 1.18-1.65) and CVD death (aHR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.41-2.76). Spline analyses demonstrated that the association between C-peptide levels and all-cause mortality was U-shaped, with a threshold value of 0.41 nmol/L. Below the threshold, every one-unit increment in C-peptide had a 70% reduced risk of all-cause death (aHR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7). Above the threshold, the C-peptide levels were associated with a higher probability of all-cause death (aHR = 1. 3, 95% CI:1.2-1.4).

CONCLUSIONS

In the US NAFLD population defined by ultrasound, a U-shaped association was detected between baseline serum C-peptide level and all-cause mortality.

A Circulating MicroRNA-375 for the Detection of Liver Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Liver cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumors, with an extremely high incidence rate. Diagnosis of liver cancer is difficult with the existing methods and improved biomarkers are urgently needed. A number of studies have established a link between abnormal miR-375 expression and liver cancer. Therefore, we conducted a systematic analysis to appraise whether miR-375 can be used as a screening tool for liver cancer detection. Methods: Through a systematic database search, studies investigating miR-375 expression in serum by the quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) method were included in the study. A total of 1,100 participants (576 with liver cancer and 534 without liver cancer) were recruited. The efficacy of microRNA-375 in the detection of liver cancer was assessed by sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under curve (AUC). Results: The pooled sensitivity and specificity of miR-375 in the detection of liver cancer were 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-0.98) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.67-0.92), respectively. Furthermore, the pooled PLR was 5.40 (95% CI: 2.58-11.31), NLR was 0.10 (95% CI: 0.03-0.36), DOR was 52.52 (95% CI: 10.02-275.42), and AUC was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.90-0.95), indicating that miR-375 is effective at detecting liver cancer. Conclusions: According to our meta-analysis, measuring serum miR-375 has high sensitivity and specificity, which will facilitate its clinical application in liver cancer monitoring.

Effect of progressive resistance training with weight loss compared with weight loss alone on the fatty liver index in older adults with type 2 diabetes: secondary analysis of a 12-month randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent (~75%) in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Since exercise and weight loss (WL) are recommended for the management of both NAFLD and T2D, this study examined whether progressive resistance training (PRT) plus WL could lead to greater improvements in the fatty liver index (FLI), an indicator of NAFLD, compared with WL alone in older adults with T2D.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This study represents a secondary analysis of a 12-month, two-arm randomised controlled trial including 36 overweight and obese adults (60-80 years) with T2D randomly allocated to supervised PRT plus WL (hypocaloric diet) (n=19) or WL plus sham (stretching) (n=17) for 6 months (phase I), followed by 6-months home-based training with ad libitum diet (phase II). FLI, which is an algorithm based on waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides and gamma-glutamyl transferase, was assessed at baseline and every 3 months. Linear mixed models were used to analyse between-group differences over time, adjusting for baseline values.

RESULTS

At baseline, the mean±SD FLI was 76.6±18.5 and the likelihood of NAFLD (FLI >60) in all participants was 86%. Following phase I, both groups had similar statistically significant improvements in FLI (mean change (95% CI): PRT+WL, -12 (-20 to -4); WL, -9 (-15 to -4)), with no significant between-group difference. After the subsequent 6-month home-based phase, the improvements in FLI tended to persist in both groups (PRT+WL, -7 (-11 to -2); WL, -4 (-10 to 1)), with no between-group differences.

CONCLUSIONS

In older overweight adults with T2D, PRT did not enhance the benefits of WL on FLI, a predictor of NAFLD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12622000640707.

Evaluate the elasticity of carotid artery in the type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by two-dimensional strain imaging

To evaluate carotid elasticity by using two-dimensional strain imaging (2DSI) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 98 patients with T2DM diagnosed in our hospital were selected. All the patients were without carotid plaque, which were proved by carotid ultrasonography. According to the fatty liver classification standard, patients were divided into three groups. There were 35 cases without NAFLD in group A, 33 cases with mild NAFLD in group B and 30 cases with moderate to severe NAFLD in group C. By using two-dimensional and M-mode ultrasound to measure the left carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), common carotid arterial systolic diameter (Ds) and diastolic diameter (Dd). The systolic peak velocity was measured by spectral Doppler ultrasound. The systolic global peak circumferential strain (CS), early and late systolic global circumferential strain rate (CSr) were measured by 2DSI. The stiffness parameters β1 and β2 were calculated by M-mode ultrasound and 2DSI separately. Among three groups, the Ds, Dd and systolic peak velocity showed no significant difference (all P > .05). In group C, IMT and β1 were obviously increased than those of groups A and B (all P < .05). Compared groups A and B, there were no significant difference in IMT and β1 (all P > .05). β2 was higher in groups B and C than those in group A, CS, CSr were lower in groups B and C than those in group A (both P > .05). The carotid elasticity of T2DM patients with NAFLD can be evaluated by 2DSI.

The association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with bone mineral density in type 2 diabetes

Objective

We examined the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and lumbar spine bone mineral density in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes.

Methods

The lumbar BMD of 1088 subjects was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Liver fat content was quantified via B-mode ultrasound. Multivariable linear regression was used to study the association between NAFLD and lumbar BMD in participants with and without T2DM.

Results

The lumbar BMD in the T2DM group and the non-diabetes group was higher in the NAFLD group than in the non-NAFLD group (P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis in the T2DM group showed that after adjusting for confounders, the positive association between lumbar spine BMD and NAFLD remained (P = 0.027). In the non-diabetes group, after adjusting for confounders, the association between NAFLD and lumbar spine BMD disappeared.

Conclusions

The relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and lumbar bone mineral density may differ in individuals with and without diabetes. The effect of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on bone mineral density needs to be evaluated in different clinical contexts.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in obese youth with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this review is to present the new definition of the disease, defining the epidemiology, risk factors with a particular attention to the role of insulin resistance (IR) and to define the main treatments explored.

RECENT FINDINGS

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was previously considered a primary liver disease, but it would be more correct to consider it a component of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in which IR might play a key role. Based on these findings, it has been recently proposed to modify the classic term of NAFLD to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) that better reflects the pathophysiology of this complex disease.

SUMMARY

Currently, no treatments approved in childhood are available, thus the only recommended approach is the prevention and correction of the known risk factors, and particularly of IR. However, further studies are needed to better clarify the pathogenetic mechanisms of NAFLD in order to establish more tailored therapies.

Simultaneously Screening for Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis in Romanian Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Using Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography with Controlled Attenuation Parameter

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common finding among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Between NAFLD and T2DM exist a bidirectional relationship. Patients with T2DM are at high risk for NAFLD, and evidence suggests that T2DM is linked to progressive NAFLD and poor liver outcomes. NAFLD promotes the development of T2DM and leads to a substantial increase in the risk of T2DM complications. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of liver steatosis and fibrosis in patients with T2DM from north-eastern Romania by using Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (VCTE) with Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP), which is a non-invasive method and can assess simultaneously liver steatosis and fibrosis. In total, 424 consecutive patients with T2DM were enrolled and evaluated using VCTE with CAP from January 2020 to January 2022. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded in all patients. For the CAP score, we used the following cut-offs: mild steatosis (S1)—274 dB/m, moderate steatosis (S2)—290 dB/m, and severe steatosis (S3)—302 dB/m. For liver fibrosis, to differentiate between fibrosis stages, the cut-off values were F ≥ 8.2 kPa for significant fibrosis (F2), F ≥ 9.7 kPa for advanced fibrosis (F3), and F ≥ 13.6 kPa for cirrhosis (F4). In total, 380 diabetic patients (72.6%) had liver steatosis (51.3% females, the mean age of 55.22 ± 10.88 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 29.12 ± 5.64 kg/m2). Among them, 26 (8.4%) patients had moderate liver steatosis (S2) and 242 (78.5%) patients had severe hepatic steatosis (S3). According to VCTE measurements, 176 (57.14%) patients had liver fibrosis, 36 (11.7%) of them had advanced fibrosis (F3), and 42 (13.6%) diabetic patients had cirrhosis (F4). Univariate analyses showed that severe steatosis was significantly associated with ferritin (β = 0.223, p = 0.022), total cholesterol (β = 0.159, p = 0.031), and HDL-cholesterol (β = −0.120, p = 0.006). In multivariate analyses, BMI (β = 0.349, p < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (β = 0.211, p = 0.006), and triglycerides (β = 0.132, p = 0.044) were predictors of S3. Patients with T2DM have a high prevalence of severe steatosis and advanced fibrosis which can lead to the development and progression of complications with high morbidity and mortality rates. Hence, it is necessary to implement screening strategies to prevent advanced liver disease in patients with T2DM.

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Associated With Cardiovascular Outcomes in Subjects With Prediabetes and Diabetes: A Prospective Community-Based Cohort Study

Background

There have been no studies of the effect of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients with pre-diabetes (pre-DM), and diabetes mellitus (DM). We performed a community-based cohort study to evaluate the relationship between NAFLD and CVEs in patients with glucose metabolism disorder.

Methods

We enrolled 71,852 participants from the Kailuan study who had not experienced CVEs, after excluding alcohol abuse and other liver diseases. NAFLD was assessed using abdominal ultrasonography. Besides, participants were categorized by glucose metabolism status [normal glucose regulation (NGR), pre-DM, and DM]. All subjects were followed up for the occurrence of CVEs.

Results

During a median of 13.01 (0.64) years of follow-up, 6,037 CVEs occurred. NAFLD was present in 22,525 (31.3%), and compared with participants without NAFLD, those with NAFLD had a 12.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.059–1.191, P < 0.001] higher risk of CVEs, after adjustment for potential confounders. The hazard ratios for patients with mild, moderate, and severe NAFLD were 1.104 (95% CI 1.035–1.179, P < 0.001), 1.149 (95% CI 1.055–1.251, P < 0.001), and 1.235 (95% CI 1.059–1.441, P < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, participants with pre-DM plus NAFLD and participants with DM plus NAFLD had 1.267-fold (95% CI 1.151–1.395, P < 0.001) and 1.829-fold (95% CI 1.666–2.008, P < 0.001) higher risks of CVEs, respectively, compared with those with NGR and no NAFLD. The addition of the combination of NAFLD and glucose metabolism status to the crude Cox model increased the C-statistic by 0.0066 (0.0053–0.0080, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

NAFLD is associated with higher risks of CVEs. Moreover, NAFLD is an independent predictor of CVEs in patients with pre-DM and DM, suggesting that NAFLD may provide greater risk predictive value for patients with glucose metabolism disorder.

Association between type 2 diabetes status and prevalence of liver steatosis and fibrosis among adults aged ≥ 40 years

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease frequently coexist and share pathophysiological manifestations. This study aimed to explore the association between T2DM status and prevalence of liver steatosis and fibrosis, identified using the controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness measurement attained via liver ultrasound transient elastography.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional analysis of data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2017-2018. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between T2DM and prevalence of liver steatosis and fibrosis. Subgroup analyses, stratified by sex age, race, and body mass index (BMI), were further performed.

RESULTS

Of the 2,780 participants aged ≥ 40 years enrolled, 749 had T2DM, and 2,031 did not. After adjustment for potential confounders, T2DM was associated with a higher prevalence of liver steatosis (OR = 1.7, 95% CI, 1.3-2.1). This T2DM-related prevalence was higher among women (OR = 1.8, 95% CI, 1.3-2.5) and in the non-Hispanic Black (OR = 1.8, 95% CI, 1.1-3.0), other race (OR = 1.9, 95% CI, 1.2-3.0), and BMI < 25 kg/m² (OR = 2.0, 95% CI, 1.1-3.8) groups. T2DM was also associated with a significantly higher prevalence of fibrosis (OR = 2.0, 95% CI, 1.5-2.7), with this association being more prominent for the other race (OR = 2.9, 95% CI, 1.5-5.5) and BMI < 25 kg/m² (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.3-8.8) groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated a positive association between T2DM status and prevalence of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. This association was more prominent for individuals with a BMI < 25 kg/m² and was influenced by race-specific effects.

Healthcare practitioners' diagnostic and treatment practice patterns of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Poland: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) awareness is low. NAFLD diagnosis and management by gastroenterologists (GEs) and general practitioners (GPs) in Poland were evaluated.

METHODS

RESTORE was an observational, noninterventional, retrospective cross-sectional survey performed among GEs and GPs with at least 3 years' experience. Computer-assisted web interviews were completed. GEs provided information from patient records.

RESULTS

Mean experience was 14.2 (95 GEs) and 22.6 (115 GPs) years. Mean patient numbers with liver disorders consulted per month were 36 (13%; GEs) and 51 (6%; GPs); ~50% were patients with NAFLD. All GEs/GPs used ultrasound; most evaluated transaminases and gamma-glutamyl transferase. More GEs used other imaging techniques and a larger spectrum of laboratory tests than GPs. Physician-identified NAFLD key symptoms were similar for GEs/GPs. GEs noticed less obvious symptoms (abdominal discomfort, drowsiness, fatigability, lack of energy) vs. GPs (abdominal pain/discomfort, dyspepsia). Common comorbidities in NAFLD were similar in GE/GP responses. NAFLD interventions by GEs/GPs (% patients) were diet/lifestyle/pharmacological interventions (54%/59%), diet/lifestyle changes alone (41%/31%) or pharmacological interventions alone (5%/10%). The top three criteria for supportive pharmacological selection were efficacy, tolerability and quality of life improvement for GEs/GPs. The five supportive treatments most commonly prescribed by GEs/GPs were essential phospholipids, ursodeoxycholic acid, timonacic, silybinin/silymarin and ornithine + choline. Information from patient records (n = 380) confirmed GEs responses.

CONCLUSIONS

NAFLD is not a silent disease as physicians and patients reported many, albeit nonspecific, symptoms. This cross-sectional survey provides important insights into clinical management of NAFLD by GEs and GPs in Poland.