ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Endocrinologica 2012 June;37(2):187-93

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Is NAFLD an independent risk factor for increased IMT in T2DM?

Cakır E., Ozbek M., Colak N., Cakal E., Delıbaşi T. ✉

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

AIM:Recent data have suggested that the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus may also be linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) independent from metabolic syndrome. Therefore the aim of the study is to compare the CVD risk in diabetic and non diabetic participants and to evaluate whether there is an association betweeen NAFLD and CVD risk.
METHODS: Fifty five type 2 diabetic (study group) and 44 nondiabetic patients (control group) were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to degree of hepatosteatosis. Group 1 include grade≥2 hepatosteatosis and group 2 include grade<2 hepatosteatosis patients.
RESULTS:As a result, hepatosteatosis rates were found to be similar in diabetic and non-diabetic patients (P=0.07). Mean CIMT was significantly higher in diabetic patients (P=0.01). Mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glucolise hemoglobin (HbA1c) were found to be higher in grade≥2 hepatosteatosis group (P=0.002 and 0.004 respectively). But CIMT was found to be similar between hepatosteatosis groups (P=0.618).
CONCLUSION: NAFLD is extremely common in people with type 2 diabetes and is mainly associated with uncontrolled diabetes. CIMT values as cardiovascular risk assessment were found to be significantly higher in diabetic patients regardless degree of hepatosteatosis.