Table 1.

The link between NAFLD and type 2 diabetes.

The majority of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have a fatty liver and as many as 50% or more may have nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Elevated liver aminotransferases are a strong indicator of future T2DM. Prediabetes or T2DM is commonly diagnosed when routine screening with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is performed in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Patients with T2DM and NASH have more severe hepatic insulin resistance and progressive liver disease. The presence of a fatty liver in a patient with T2DM is associated with more difficult to control diabetes and the need for higher insulin doses.