Visceral Adipose Tissue and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Aim To explore the association of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods This was a cross-sectional study comprising 100 patients with T2DM and 100 non-T2DM individuals, matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Transient elastography was used to assess hepatic steatosis and liver stiffness measurements (LSM). Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was used to quantify hepatic steatosis. To distinguish grades of hepatic steatosis, cutoff values were as follows: S 1 ≥ 302, S 2 ≥ 331, and S 3 ≥ 337 dB/m. Moreover, VAT area was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in accordance with validated protocols. Results CAP score was significantly higher in participants with T2DM (294.61 ± 3.82 vs. 269.86 ± 3.86 dB/ m; P S 1: 302 dB/m), while this figure was 26% in non-T2DM group ( P