Predictors of Non-Alcoholic Hepatic Steatosis Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Background: Because the number of people with other components of the metabolic syndrome, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, is rising annually, it is important to address the hepatic component of the syndrome, hepatic steatosis, as part of the spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aims to determine the predictors of non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis (HS) among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Materials and methods: This study, which involved 138 persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), employed a simple random sampling technique. Clinical indicators, including weight and height, were measured. The biochemical parameters measured were Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipid profile, and the AST/ALT ratio. The data were analysed using IBM's Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 25. Results: In T2DM patients with hepatic steatosis, a statistically significant increase was observed in total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), as well as ALT, and AST compared to T2DM subjects without evidence of Hepatic Steatosis (p=<0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001 and 0.04, respectively). Predictors of Hepatic Steatosis among T2DM were Waist circumference (WC), TG, and LDL, with odds ratios of 14.28 (95% CI: 1.59-127.75), 5.46 (95% CI: 1.39-21.45), and 35.24 (95% CI: 1.82-681.43), respectively. Conclusion: This study revealed that WC, TG, and LDL independently predict hepatic steatosis in individuals with T2DM.