Raised liver enzymes in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes are associated with weight and lipids, but not glycaemic control

INTRODUCTION: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and the metabolic syndrome, and can progress to chronic liver disease. We examined the incidence of elevated (>35 iu/l) alanine transaminase (ALT), as a surrogate marker for NAFLD, in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of ALT with metabolic parameters, in 606 consecutive patients presenting to district wide education sessions for newly diagnosed T2DM. RESULTS: ALT was elevated in 155 patients (25.6% (95% CI 22.1, 29.2)), who tended to be older (mean difference 7.3 years (5.2, 9.5), P < 0.001), heavier (body mass index (BMI) mean difference 2.0 kg/m(2) (1.0, 3.0), P < 0.001), and more likely to be male (M:F raised ALT 104:51, normal ALT 219:232, P < 0.001), with higher triglycerides (median difference 0.2 mmol/l, P = 0.001) and lower HDL cholesterol (mean difference 0.09 mmol/l (0.02, 0.15), P = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in HBA1C or total cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: In a well-defined population of newly diagnosed people with T2DM, there is a high incidence of abnormal ALT levels, which is associated with features of the metabolic syndrome (obesity and lipid abnormalities), but not glycemic control.