Hepatic involvement in a teenager with type 1 diabetes and poor metabolic control

There are several manifestations of hepaticinvolvement in diabetes but the most frequent is non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Acquired hepatic glycogenosis is characterized by intrahepatocyte glycogen accumulation in poorly controlled type 1 diabetes under treatment with high doses of insulin. We report the case of a diabetic teenager with progressive elevation of liver enzymes associated with poor metabolic control. After ruling out other causes of hepatic derangement, we made a clinical diagnosis of secondary hepatic glycogenosis without performing liver biopsy, as all parameters improved after better glycemic control was achieved. Secondary hepatic glycogenosis is probably more frequent than previously reported. This process is reversible and has a benign clinical course that depends on good metabolic control. Diagnosis can be made clinically. Liver biopsy should be reserved for patients with no improvement in liver tests after good metabolic control has been achieved.