Identification of type 2 diabetes patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease who are at increased risk of significant hepatic fibrosis: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Annual screening of patients with diabetes for fatty liver, and identifying those with significant hepatic fibrosis using the FIB-4 score and vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) has been recommended to detect patients who may progress to advanced hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis. However, VCTE is not freely available in resource-limited settings. OBJECTIVES: To identify clinical and biochemical predictors of significant liver fibrosis in diabetics with fatty liver. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among all consenting adults with T2DM and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) attending the Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, Sri Lanka from November 2021 to November 2022. FIB-4 scores were calculated and patients with a score ≥1.3 underwent VCTE. Risk associations for liver fibrosis were identified by comparing patients with significant fibrosis (LSM ≥8 kPa) with those without significant fibrosis (FIB-4<1.3). RESULTS: A total of 363 persons were investigated. Of these, 243 had a score of FIB-4 <1.3. Of the 120 with a FIB-4 ≥1.3, 76 had LSM ≥8 kPa. Significant fibrosis was individually associated with age (OR 1.01, p<0.0001), duration of diabetes (OR 1.02, p=0.006), family history of liver disease (OR 1.42, p=0.035), waist (OR 1.04, p=0.035), and FIB-4 (OR 2.08, p<0.0001). However, on adjusted analysis, significant fibrosis was only associated with a family history of liver disease (OR 2.69, p=0.044) and FIB-4 (OR 1.43, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with T2DM and fatty liver, advancing age, increased duration of diabetes, a family history of liver disease, waist circumference and a high FIB-4 score increase the risk of significant hepatic fibrosis. Targeted interventions in this group may help prevent progression to advanced hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis.