Prevalence, clinical profile and risk factors of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

Hilal Bhat; Rayees ul Hamid Wani; Suhail Jabbar Mir; Moomin Hussain Bhat; Javaid Ahmad Bhat; Shariq Rashid Masoodi

Hilal Bhat Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Rayees ul Hamid Wani Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Handwara, Kashmir, India
Suhail Jabbar Mir Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Handwara, Kashmir, India
Moomin Hussain Bhat Department of Endocrinology, Superspeciality Hospital, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Javaid Ahmad Bhat Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Handwara, Kashmir, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6518-4192
Shariq Rashid Masoodi Department of Endocrinology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar, Kashmir, India

Keywords: metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and obesity

Abstract

There is a high incidence of association metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) which if not detected and treated at the earliest can result into serious complications. We aim to study the prevalence, clinical profile and risk factors of MASLD in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients. This was a cross-sectional study involving 272 individuals with new onset T2DM diagnosed in previous 6 months who met the inclusion criteria. Patients were stratified according to the presence/absence of MASLD. MASLD presence and severity were defined by ultrasonographic detection of steatosis in the absence of other liver diseases. The anthropometric, clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively. Parameters as predictors of MASLD were identified using linear regression models. The prevalence of MASLD by Ultrasound examination was 64%, with higher prevalence in females (71.4%) than males (57.5%). The patients with MASLD demonstrated significantly higher mean BMI, waist-hip ratio, AST, ALT, GGT, SUA, FPG, FINS and triglycerides but lower HDL. Pearson correlation showed significantly positive associations of MASLD severity with BMI (p<0.001), WHR (p<0.001), TG (p=0.013), AST (0.009), ALT (p=0.004) and TG (p=0.012). Linear regression analysis confirmed independent positive associations of MASLD with BMI (p=0.032), WHR (p=0.025), ALT (p=0.032), HDL (P=019) and TG (p=0.012). The significant prevalence of MASLD in newly diagnosed T2DM patients in this study underscores the importance of incorporating routine screening in diabetic care for early detection and management of hepatic impairment, aiming to reduce the burden of liver-related complications in diabetic populations.