[Liver disorders in diabetic patients]

There is a mutual relationship between diabetes and liver disorders. Diabetic patients suffer from liver disorders more frequently and, vice versa, patients with liver disorders are at a higher risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes is probably the most common cause of chronic liver disorders in developed countries. Liver disorders related to diabetes include a wide spectrum of conditions, from a simple steatosis related to a slight elevation of liver tests through nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with various degrees of fibrosis up to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and acute liver failure. Non alcoholic liver steatosis is the most common pathological condition that is, at present, considered to be a component of or to actually be the liver manifestation of metabolic syndrome, accompanied with an insulin resistance and other clinical components, such as central obesity, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension and the already mentioned type 2 diabetes mellitus. The steatosis itself is a benign condition and the unfavourable development of the liver disorder is related to an inflammatory reaction (steatohepatitis) and subsequent fibrosis. There is no specific treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The basic measures include weight reduction, lifestyle changes and treatment of the concurrent conditions, such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. Formerly popular "hepatoprotective" substances do not play an important role in the treatment of steatohepatitis.