64 per cent of new diabetics in Kashmir have fatty liver disease: Study

Srinagar, Oct 2: Nearly two-thirds of patients with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes in Kashmir suffer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), commonly known as fatty liver disease, research reveals.
A study conducted by researchers from Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, GMC Handwara and the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) examined 272 patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within the preceding six months and found that 64 per cent had MASLD. This highlights the substantial burden of liver disease even among people who have only recently been diagnosed with diabetes.
The findings also revealed a higher prevalence of the condition among women, with 71.4 per cent of female patients affected, compared to 57.5 per cent of male patients.
The research, titled Prevalence, Clinical Profile and Risk Factors of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, highlights the close association between diabetes, obesity and fatty liver disease and underscores the need for early detection and timely intervention.
The study was conducted by Hilal Bhat, Rayees ul Hamid Wani, Suhail Jabbar Mir, Moomin Hussain Bhat, Javaid Ahmad Bhat and Shariq Rashid Masoodi. It examined patients attending the endocrinology outpatient department at SKIMS.
Researchers found that out of the 272 participants, 174 had evidence of fatty liver on ultrasonography, while the remaining 98 did not show signs of the disease.
The study further revealed 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 than those without the condition. Their levels of good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), were also lower.
Obesity and excess abdominal fat emerged as important factors associated with the presence and severity of fatty liver disease. Researchers observed that patients with higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratios were more likely to have more advanced grades of liver fat accumulation.
Patients with Grade II fatty liver had higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratios than those with Grade I disease, indicating a relationship between excess body fat and the severity of liver involvement.
Elevated liver enzymes, particularly alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were also observed among patients with MASLD, suggesting a greater degree of liver-related abnormalities in this group.
The researchers noted that MASLD often remains undetected because many patients do not experience noticeable symptoms in the early stages. However, the condition can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and, in some cases, liver cancer.
They said the coexistence of diabetes and fatty liver disease poses an important clinical concern, as both conditions are closely linked to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.
The findings assume significance as the study focused specifically on newly diagnosed diabetic patients, demonstrating that liver disease can already be present at the time diabetes is detected.
The researchers said that early assessment for MASLD should be an important consideration in the management of patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, particularly those with obesity and other metabolic risk factors.
They said identifying the condition at an early stage could help facilitate timely intervention and reduce the risk of progression to 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.
The findings provide important insights into the burden of MASLD among newly diagnosed diabetic patients and support the need for greater attention to liver health during routine diabetes management. (KNO)