In a new study, researchers found that type 2 diabetes can be particularly harmful to people with liver conditions.
They found that diabetes may boost the progression of liver fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
NAFLD is a condition in which fat builds up in the liver. The disease often causes few or no symptoms.
Previous research found that people with some chronic conditions, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop NAFLD.
Fibrosis is the formation of an abnormally large amount of scar tissue in the liver. It occurs when the liver attempts to repair and replace damaged cells.
It develops when the liver is repeatedly or continuously damaged.
In the current study, the team examined the effect of type 2 diabetes on the development of fibrosis in people with NAFLD.
They tested 1,562 adults aged 36–64 years. These people had NAFLD and less severe liver fibrosis.
During the follow-up period, the researchers found that 186 patients progressed to advanced fibrosis.
In people older than 50, type 2 diabetes was strongly linked to progression to advanced fibrosis.
The researchers suggest that type 2 diabetes is an independent risk factor for the development of advanced liver fibrosis in people with NAFLD.
The lead author of the study is Toshifumi Tada, M.D., from Ogaki Municipal Hospital in Japan.
The study is published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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