Predictors of Hepatic Fibrosis in Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

• Published in: Biomedicines Vol. 12; no. 11; p. 2542
• Main Authors: de Abreu, Joana D’Arc Matos França, Azulay, Rossana Sousa, Rodrigues, Vandilson, de Abreu, Sterffeson Lamare Lucena, da Glória Tavares, Maria, Pinheiro, Flávia Coelho Mohana, de Oliveira Neto, Clariano Pires, Andrade, Caio, Facundo, Alexandre, Sá, Adriana Guimarães, Azevedo, Patrícia Ribeiro, Almeida, Ana Gregória Pereira de, Costa, Debora Camelo de Abreu, Castro, Rogério Soares, Magalhães, Marcelo, Nascimento, Gilvan Cortês, Faria, Manuel dos Santos, Ferreira, Adalgisa de Souza Paiva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 07-11-2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Alcohol; Biopsy; Body mass index; Cholesterol; Cirrhosis; Comparative analysis; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Endocrinology; Epidemiology; Exercise; Fibrosis; Hepatitis; High density lipoprotein; Hypertension; Liver cancer; Liver cirrhosis; Liver diseases; Metabolism; Morbidity; Public health; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Software; Womens health
• ISSN: 2227-9059; 2227-9059
• DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12112542

Background/Objectives: Approximately 25% of the world’s population and more than 60% of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The association between these pathologies is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Brazil and worldwide due to the high frequency of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiologic and clinical-laboratory profile of patients with T2D and MASLD treated at an endocrinology reference service in a state in northeastern Brazil, and to investigate the association of liver fibrosis with anthropometric and laboratory measurements. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in a specialized outpatient clinic with 240 patients evaluated from July 2022 to February 2024, using a questionnaire, physical examination, laboratory tests, and liver elastography with FibroScan®. Results: Estimates showed that women (adjusted OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.35–5.35, p = 0.005), obesity (adjusted OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.22–4.07, p = 0.009), high GGT (adjusted OR = 3.78, 95% CI = 2.01–7.14, p < 0. 001), high AST (adjusted OR = 6.07, 95% CI = 2.27–16.2, p < 0.001), and high ALT (adjusted OR = 3.83, 95% CI = 1.80–8.11, p < 0.001) were associated with the risk of liver fibrosis even after adjusted analysis. Conclusions: The study findings suggested that female sex and BMI were associated with an increased risk of liver fibrosis, highlighting the importance of comprehensive evaluation of these patients. In addition, FIB-4 and MAF-5 provided a good estimate of liver fibrosis in our population and may serve as a useful tool in a public health setting with limited resources.