Metabolic Profiles of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes With and Without Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61336/jdme.0502.04Keywords:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic profile, hepatic steatosisAbstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) frequently coexists with type 2 diabetes mellitus and may be associated with a distinct metabolic phenotype. This study compared metabolic characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes with and without NAFLD and evaluated the associations between hepatic steatosis, glycemic status, insulin resistance, lipid abnormalities, and inflammatory markers. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 202 adults with established type 2 diabetes. NAFLD was assessed using standardized abdominal ultrasonography and biochemical evaluation after exclusion of significant alcohol consumption and other major causes of hepatic steatosis. Anthropometric measurements, fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c, lipid profile, liver enzymes, uric acid, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were assessed. Insulin resistance was estimated using HOMA-IR. Participants with NAFLD had higher BMI, waist circumference, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, ALT, GGT, uric acid, and hs-CRP compared with participants without NAFLD. HDL cholesterol was significantly lower in the NAFLD group. Although HbA1c was modestly higher among participants with NAFLD, the strongest metabolic differences were observed in measures of central adiposity, insulin resistance, and lipid metabolism. After adjustment for age, sex, diabetes duration, and BMI, NAFLD remained independently associated with HOMA-IR, triglyceride concentration, and hs-CRP. Participants with NAFLD had approximately 2.9-fold greater odds of having a high insulin-resistance profile than those without NAFLD. These findings demonstrate that type 2 diabetes accompanied by NAFLD is characterized by a broader pattern of metabolic dysfunction and suggest that hepatic steatosis may identify patients requiring more comprehensive metabolic risk assessment.
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