Association of iron overload with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Objective To analyze the association of fat content,enzymes,and fibrosis in liver with iron overload in patients with type 2 diabetes,and to explore the relationship between iron overload and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in these patients.Methods Five hundred and thirty hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes and 18 patients with abnormal glucose metabolism undergoing liver biopsy were recruited.History data,results of laboratory tests,liver ultrasound,hepatic 1 H-MRS were collected and serum ferritin level was determined.Results The serum ferritin level was significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than that without NAFLD [(328.7±252.2 vs 239.9 ± 171.8) μg/L,P＜0.01].Serum ferritin was an independent risk factor for NAFLD (P＜0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum ferritin was positively correlated with liver fat content after adjustment for sex,age,and duration of diabetes.The serum ferritin level in NAFLD with elevated liver enzymes was significantly higher than that in simple steatosis [(429.9 ± 287.4 vs 293.4 ± 233.3) μg/L,P＜0.01].Serum ferritin was an independent risk factor for elevated liver enzymes in patients with NAFLD (P ＜0.05).Serum ferritin level in patients with advanced fibrosis was significantly lower than that in patients without advanced fibrosis [(246.8 ± 191.2 vs 382.5 ± 253.7) μg/L,P＜0.01].In 18 patients with NAFLD proven by biopsy,serum ferritin level was slightly higher in NASH group than that in simple steatosis group,but there was no statistically significant difference.Serum ferritin levels were comparable between patients with and without advanced fibrosis.Conclusion The iron overload in type 2 diabetic patients seems to be an independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD and elevated liver enzymes.Iron load in patients with advanced fibrosis is significantly decreased. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2 ; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ; Serum ferritin ; Histopathology