Top studies show link between hepatic injury, diabetes

November is National Diabetes Month. Healio.com/Hepatology compiled a list of the most engaging research that has found a link between some form of hepatic injury, such as hepatitis B virus infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and diabetes.

Screening patients with type 2 diabetes may prevent liver-related diseases

Rohit Loomba, MD, MHSc, and colleagues found that among a cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and advanced fibrosis were common, suggesting that noninvasive screening among patients with diabetes should be considered in a primary care setting to avoid liver-related complications.

“These data underscore the need to validate these findings in a larger multicenter study that would trigger the change in practice by screening type 2 diabetics for advanced liver disease,” Loomba told Healio.com/Hepatology. Read more

Rohit Loomba

Successful HBV vaccination may protect against diabetes

In a cross-sectional study of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers found that hepatitis B virus infection vaccination was associated with a reduced odds of developing diabetes, as well as protected against diabetes if successful.

“Although diabetes is also preventable with dietary change, physical activity, behavior modification, and various pharmacological interventions, the results of the present study may provide a new method of prevention via vaccination,” the researchers wrote. Read more

Researchers find liver fibrosis associated with diabetes, steatosis

In The Rotterdam Study, researchers found that liver stiffness is strongly associated with steatosis and diabetes, indicating that as the prevalence of steatosis and diabetes increases, liver fibrosis could become a major public health problem.

Naim Alkhouri, MD, provides his perspective on the research, stating: “This study provides further support on the need to screen high risk patients such as older subjects with type 2 diabetes for the presence of fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis.” Read more

Naim Alkhouri

Patients with diabetes at increased risk for mortality from chronic liver disease

Patients with diabetes displayed an increased risk for mortality by chronic liver disease, according to recent study data.

“Our study shows that diabetic patients are exposed to a two- to threefold increased risk of mortality from CLD,” the researchers wrote. “The main cause of the excess mortality related to CLD seems to be attributable to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.” Read more

Improvement of NAFLD reduces type 2 diabetes incidence

Hajime Yamazaki, MD, and colleagues found that NAFLD is associated with type 2 diabetes, and improvement of NAFLD is associated with a reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes, according to recent study findings published in Diabetes Care.

Kenneth Cusi, MD, FACP, FACE, provides his perspective on the research, stating: “The findings are likely true beyond these limitations and the study is of value to increase awareness about recognizing NAFLD as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes in high-risk patients, and that its reversal over time may ameliorate the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.” Read more

Kenneth Cusi

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Fatty liver strengthens link between diabetes, metabolic syndrome

A recent study found patients with fatty liver and metabolic syndrome are at greater risk for type 2 diabetes compared with those with metabolic syndrome alone.

“The data indicate — for the first time — that [fatty liver] significantly increases the association of [metabolic syndrome] with type 2 diabetes in both sexes, even after adjusting for traditional risk factors,” the researchers wrote. Read more

Fatty liver progression, resolution linked to incident diabetes

In a retrospective study conducted in South Korea, researchers found that patients with fatty liver that worsened over time were at greater risk for developing diabetes than those whose fatty liver resolved within the same time period.

“Although the design of this observational study cannot prove causality, these data strongly support the notion that increases or decreases in liver fat influence glucose homeostasis,” the researchers wrote. Read more

Diabetes, family history of diabetes associated with NASH, fibrosis in NAFLD patients

Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease who had either diabetes or a family history for the illness were at an increased risk for developing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis, according to published findings.

“This paper illustrates the value of family history in risk stratification of patients with NAFLD and who might be considered for liver biopsy assessment,” Rohit Loomba, MD, MHSc, told Healio.com/Hepatology. Read more