SRINAGAR — Nearly two-thirds of patients newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in Kashmir were found to have metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), commonly known as fatty liver disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, GMC Handwara and the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).
The study examined 272 patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within the preceding six months and found evidence of MASLD in 64 per cent of them.
Of the 272 participants, 174 had fatty liver detected through ultrasonography, while 98 showed no evidence of the condition.
The prevalence was higher among women, with 71.4 per cent of female patients affected compared with 57.5 per cent of male patients, the study found.
Titled “Prevalence, Clinical Profile and Risk Factors of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus”, the research examined patients attending the endocrinology outpatient department at SKIMS.
The study was conducted by Hilal Bhat, Rayees ul Hamid Wani, Suhail Jabbar Mir, Moomin Hussain Bhat, Javaid Ahmad Bhat and Shariq Rashid Masoodi.
Researchers found that patients with MASLD had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, liver enzymes, uric acid, fasting blood glucose and triglyceride levels compared with those without the condition.
Their levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly referred to as good cholesterol, were also lower.
Obesity and excess abdominal fat emerged as important factors associated with both the presence and severity of fatty liver disease.
Patients with higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratios were more likely to have more advanced grades of liver fat accumulation, the researchers observed.
Those with Grade II fatty liver had higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratios than patients with Grade I disease, indicating an association between excess body fat and the severity of liver involvement.
The researchers also reported elevated liver enzymes, particularly alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), among patients with MASLD, suggesting greater liver-related abnormalities in this group.
The study noted that MASLD can remain undetected because many patients may not experience noticeable symptoms during its early stages.
According to the researchers, the condition can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and, in some cases, liver cancer.
The coexistence of diabetes and fatty liver disease was described as an important clinical concern because both conditions are closely associated with insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.
The researchers said the findings were particularly significant because the study focused on patients who had only recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, showing that liver disease may already be present when diabetes is detected.
They said early assessment for MASLD should be considered as part of the management of patients with Type 2 diabetes, particularly those with obesity and other metabolic risk factors.
Early identification, they added, could help facilitate timely intervention and potentially reduce the risk of progression to more serious liver complications.
The study also highlighted the importance of addressing obesity and other metabolic abnormalities as part of diabetes care, given their association with both the development and severity of fatty liver disease.
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