Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Diabetes. Part I: Epidemiology and Diagnosis

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) anddiabetesare common metabolic disorders whose prevalence rates are expected to rise worldwide, corresponding to aging and increasingly obese populations. Compared to the general population (around 25%), 50% to 70% of people withdiabeteshave NAFLD, and NAFLD severity (including fibrosis) tends to be worsened by the presence ofdiabetes. NAFLD is considered an emerging risk factor for type 2diabetes mellitusand a contributor to the development of chronicdiabetes-related complications. This reciprocal relationship demonstrates the importance of confirming suspected NAFLD in patients withdiabetes. Due to the invasive nature ofliverbiopsy to assess NAFLD status, various alternative non-invasive modalities have been developed and validated. Here, we summarized theepidemiologyof NAFLD in patients withdiabetesand reviewed currently available imaging modalities and biomarker-based prediction models for their ability to detectliversteatosis and/or fibrosis.