Prevalence of Fatty Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in type 2 diabetic patients and to assess its possible risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and seventy two (186 females and 86 males) diabetic patients were studied. Liver ultrasound was performed along with the measurement of such labratoary tests as alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phospahatase, fasting blood sugar, glycosilated hemoglobin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroxine, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Patients with other causes of fatty liver disease such as autoimmune hepatitis or Wilson’s disease were excluded. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 51±10 years. One hundred and eighty nine of them (70%) had fatty liver, of whom 60 (32%) and 129 (68%) subjects were males and females, respectively. One hundred and fifteen (61%) out of 189 patients were in grade 1, 66 (35%) were in grade 2, and the rest, 8 (4%), were in grade 3 of fatty change in liver. In logistic regression analysis, the variables with significant changes were Body Mass Index (BMI) with OR = 1.26 (95% CI = 1.16-1.37) and triglyceride (TG ) with OR = 1.46 (95% CI = 1.01-2.11). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of fatty liver disease was high in the studied patients (70%). In diabetic patients, Body Mass Index (BMI) and triglyceride (TG) had significant relationship with the presence of fatty liver.