Association Between Total Bilirubin and Gender-specific Incidence of Cirrhosis with Type 2 Diabetes in Young and Middle-aged People

Cirrhosis is a progressive liver disease related to chronic liver injury and metabolic disorder. Due to the rising global prevalence rate and the short onset time of type 2 diabetes (T2D), it is increasingly recognized as a key problem for young and middle-aged patients with T2D. T2D aggravates liver fat deposition and inflammation, thus increasing the risk of cirrhosis. This study aimed to explore the gender-specific relationship between total bilirubin (TBIL) levels and cirrhosis in young and middle-aged individuals with T2D. With the increasing comorbidity of metabolic diseases and liver disorders, clarifying such associations is crucial for clinical practice. A total of 1064 adult patients with cirrhosis and T2D were recruited from the National Population Health Data Center. Logistic regression models were applied to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between TBIL levels and cirrhosis with T2D in males and females separately. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, a positive association between TBIL levels and cirrhosis with T2D was identified in the total population (OR=1.026, 95%CI: 1.008-1.044). A similar positive correlation was observed in males (OR=1.021, 95%CI: 1.002-1.041). However, no statistically significant association was found between TBIL levels and the incidence of cirrhosis with T2D in females. These findings indicate that the association between TBIL levels and cirrhosis in T2D patients varies by gender, highlighting the need to consider gender disparities in the management of cirrhosis among young and middle-aged T2D patients.