Research Roundup

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) a major predictor, and NAFLD can range from simple steatosis (non-alcoholic fatty liver) to the more advanced form non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

This is cited by Cho et al (2023) who undertook a meta-analysis to review and quantify the prevalence of NAFLD and NASH among those with T2D and to evaluate the prevalence of clinically significant and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD and NASH in the T2D population. They considered 156 studies, and a pooled analysis of 1,832,125 patients found that the prevalence rates of NAFLD and NASH in T2D were 65.04% and 31.55%, respectively.

The authors found that the prevalence rates of NAFLD in primary healthcare populations compared to hospital-based cohorts were 61% and 66%, respectively: ‘The high prevalence, regardless of setting, is concerning and supports the recommendations for screening, early detection, and treatment to reduce the burden of NAFLD–T2D.’ The American Diabetes Association currently recommends that all patients with T2D and pre-diabetes are screened for NAFLD. The authors conclude that with a higher risk of advanced fibrosis in NAFLD–T2D, early intervention and prevention are needed to reduce the global burden of NAFLD and NASH.