Chronic liver disease in diabetes mellitus

The association of diabetes with liver disease is well known.

To study the spectrum of liver disease in patients of chronic liver disease (CLD) with diabetics and compare it with age and sex matched patients of CLD without diabetes.

We studied the patients of chronic liver disease presenting over a period of one year and their diagnosis were established by biochemical studies, imaging, endoscopic examination and liver biopsy when required. They were evaluated for the aetiological causes of liver diseases.

A total of 53 patients of CLD with diabetes, M:F 43:8, with an age range of 35-70 years, median age of 51 years were taken as study group. Demographic picture of control group was n = 115, with M:F = 100: 15, age range of 37-68 years, with a median age of 52 years. Spectrum of liver disease in diabetic group were as follows: 56.6% cirrhosis, 15.1% chronic hepatitis, 22.6% fatty liver, 5.7% cirrhosis + hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The spectrum in control group was as follows, cirrhosis 46.1%, chronic hepatitis 36.5%, fatty liver 14.8%, cirrhosis and HCC 2.6%. Aetiology of chronic liver disease in diabetic group was as follows: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with cirrhosis 11.3%, NASH 18.9%, cryptogenic cirrhosis 22.6%, hepatitis B virus (HBV) 17%, hepatitis C virus (HCV) 13.2%, alcohol 17%. Aetiology of chronic liver disease in nondiabetic group was as follows: NASH with cirrhosis 1.7%, NASH 13.0%, cryptogenic cirrhosis 7.8%, HBV 30.43%, HCV 13%, alcohol 29.6% and autoimmune in 4.3%. Incidence of NASH with cirrhosis and cryptogenic cirrhosis were found to be statistically significantly high in diabetic group. Incidence of diabetes in cryptogenic cirrhosis was found to be 57% versus 30% in noncryptogenic cirrhosis.

NASH, NASH with cirrhosis and cryptogenic cirrhosis are the major causes of chronic liver disease in patients with diabetes mellitus. Alcohol and viral causes are found to be important aetiologies in nondiabetic control group. Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for chronic liver disease and progression of NASH to cirrhosis, which may present as cryptogenic cirrhosis.