Liver fibrosis and liver stiffness in patients with obesity and type 1 diabetes

Abstract Aim To compare hepatic stiffness and fat fraction in patients with obesity and type 1 diabetes (T1D) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with a similar body mass index (BMI). Methods In this prospective cross‐sectional study, 90 participants with T1D (BMI 30.5 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 ; diabetes duration 20.5 ± 9.8 years; HbA1c 8.2% ± 1.4%) and 69 with T2D (BMI: 30.8 ± 4.6 kg/m 2 ; diabetes duration: 11.7 ± 7.8 years; HbA1c: 7.3% ± 1.4%) were included. Liver fat fraction and stiffness were examined by magnetic resonance imaging and elastography, respectively. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate associations with biomedical variables. Results The mean liver stiffness score in patients with obesity and T1D was 2.2 ± 0.5 kPa, while in T2D it was 2.6 ± 0.8 kPa ( P < .001). The liver fat fraction in patients with obesity and T1D was 3.7% ± 6.3%, and in T2D it was 10.6% ± 7.9% ( P < .001). Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was present in 13.3% of patients with T1D and in 69.6% of patients with T2D, whereas fibrosis was suggested in 7.8% of patients with T1D and in 27.5% of patients with T2D. Liver stiffness was four times higher in patients with T2D compared with those with T1D (odds ratio = 5.4, 95% confidence interval: 2.1‐13.6, P < .001). Aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase, gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT), triglycerides and the android‐to‐gynoid ratio were associated with elevated fat fraction in both cohorts. AST and GGT were associated with elevated liver stiffness in both cohorts. Conclusions Patients with obesity and T1D had lower liver fat and liver stiffness compared with those patients with T2D, despite similar levels of BMI, a longer duration of diabetes and worse glycaemic control.