The interplay between diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study from Pakistan

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by ectopic deposition of fat in the liver, in the absence of other secondary causes of fat buildup. The relationship between NAFLD, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), is important for predicting the severity of disease and prognosis. This study aims to investigate the association of HbA1c in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with NAFLD via measuring the ALT levels. This retrospective cross-sectional study enroled 130 patients with T2DM and NAFLD. The association between levels of HbA1c and ALT in patients of NAFLD with controlled and uncontrolled T2DM, respectively, was investigated. Stratification was done based on gender and diabetic control, using HbA1c levels as a marker of glycemic control. Serum ALT levels were also compared in both groups. The mean age of the participants was 50.2±5.7 years. The total participants were 130, of which 77 (59.3%) were females and 53 (40.7%) were males. The numbers of patients having uncontrolled T2DM (HbA1c>7%), and controlled T2DM (HbA1c