Background and aims: It is unclear if improving glycemic control in persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) also has liver-related effects. We aimed to evaluate if a personalized treatment program associates with improvement of liver-related parameters in persons with advanced T2D in a real-life setting.
Methods: Persons with advanced T2D underwent a 4-day personalized treatment program, with the aim of improving glycemic control by dietary advice, instructions on how to achieve optimal glucose control and individualized dosage of medications. Transient elastography was used to estimate liver steatosis and fibrosis. Persons with liver diseases other than non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were excluded. After 3 months, study participants were offered re-examination.
Results: Ninety-one persons were included. Of these, 75 persons (82%) had controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measurements of acceptable quality at baseline. Of these, 57 (76%) had NAFLD (defined as >268 dB/m). Twenty-two persons (24%) had elevated liver stiffness (>7.9 kPa), and eight (9%) had liver stiffness above 13.9 kPa, indicating advanced fibrosis. Over a median follow-up of 101 days, mean CAP in persons with NAFLD was reduced by 18.33 dB/m (P = 0.035). In persons with elevated liver stiffness, mean stiffness was reduced by 2.6 kPa (P = 0.047). In linear regression, one-unit improvement in fasting glucose (mg/dl) was associated with a decrease in hepatic steatosis with 0.48 dB/m (adjusted R2 = 0.35, P < 0.01).
Conclusion: The prevalence of NAFLD with advanced fibrosis is high in persons with advanced T2D. Improving glycemic control through a personalized treatment program is associated with a reduction in liver steatosis and stiffness in this cohort.
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