Table 2. Demographics of T2DM subjects with NAFLD, with or without increased liver stiffness (LSM ≥ 9.6kPa).
| LSM ≥ 9.6kPa (N = 45) | LSM < 9.6kPa (N = 299) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (median), years | 58.77 (±9.11) | 58.43 (±9.57) | 0.728 |
| gender, males | 35 (77.78%) | 176 (58.86%) | 0.015 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 28.69 (±2.68) | 26.98 (±3.38) | 0.001 |
| Waist circumference, cm | 93.5 (88–98) | 88 (81.5–93.5) | <0.001 |
| Smoker, yes | 16 (35.56%) | 60 (20.07%) | 0.019 |
| SBP, mmHg | 136.67 (±20.11) | 131.31 (±16.66) | 0.052 |
| DBP, mmHg | 78.40 (±9.73) | 75.79 (±11.59) | 0.093 |
| Fasting plasma glucose, mmol/L | 9.48 (±2.97) | 7.98 (±2.64) | 0.002 |
| HbA1C | 7.77 (±1.44) | 7.60 (±1.53) | 0.492 |
| ALT, IU/L | 55.02 (±30.77) | 30.78 (±20.50) | <0.001 |
| AST, IU/L | 39.00 (±12.77) | 25.63 (±13.90) | <0.001 |
| Albumin, g/L | 43.64 (±2.85) | 43.87 (±2.64) | 0.597 |
| Platelet, 109/L | 229.07 (±60.43) | 266.55 (±66.46) | <0.001 |
| Total Cholesterol, mmol/L | 4.42 (±0.99) | 5.02 (±8.90) | 0.666 |
| Triglyceride, mmol/L | 1.98 (±1.37) | 2.42 (±9.04) | 0.756 |
| HDL, mmol/L | 1.17 (±0.28) | 1.35 (±2.18) | 0.593 |
| LDL, mmol/L | 2.38 (±0.93) | 2.77 (±5.10) | 0.633 |
| CAP, dB/m | 349.44 (±36.97) | 317.26 (±40.07) | <0.001 |
| Comorbidities | |||
| DM duration, years | 12.04 (±7.48) | 11.38 (±8.68) | 0.635 |
| Hypertension, yes | 39 (86.67%) | 213 (71.24%) | 0.029 |
| Obesity (BMI≥27.5) | 31 (68.89%) | 131 (43.81%) | 0.002 |
| Hyperlipidemia, yes | 38 (84.44%) | 243 (81.27%) | 0.45 |
| Metabolic syndrome, yes | 21 (65.63%) | 117 (52.94%) | 0.178 |
| Stroke, yes | 1 (2.22%) | 4 (1.34%) | 0.506 |
| Ischemic heart disease, yes | 48 (13.95%) | 14 (15.22%) | 0.758 |
| Diet Habits | |||
| Soft drink / sweetened drink, at least 1 packet/can per week | 19 (42.22%) | 101 (33.89%) | 0.275 |
| Coffee, at least 1 cup / day | 37 (82.22%) | 218 (72.91%) | 0.184 |
| Fast food, at least 1 time / week | 6 (13.33%) | 42 (12.05%) | 0.898 |
Relative to diabetic subjects without hepatic steatosis (non-NAFLD), BMI (27.2 vs 23.27 kg/m2, p<0.001), waist circumference (88.12 vs 78.44 cm, p<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (76.13 vs 73.40 mmHg, p = 0.037), ALT (34.08 vs 22.01 IU/L, p<0.001), and AST (27.38 vs 22.27 IU/L, p = 0.002) were significantly higher in NAFLD subjects (Fig 2). No significant difference in smoking status, lipid profile and platelet levels were observed. Considering comorbid conditions, higher proportions of NAFLD subjects were hypertensive (73.26% vs 59.78%, p = 0.012) obese (BMI≥27.5 kg/m2, 47.09% vs 8.7%, p<0.001) and had metabolic syndrome (54.55% vs 12.12%, p<0.001). Duration of T2DM and HbA1C were not significantly different in the two groups. Separately, NAFLD subjects were more likely to drink at least 1 packet of soft drink or sweetened drink per week (34.99% vs 17.39%, p = 0.001) but no difference was observed in fast food or coffee ingestion.