Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is suggested as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). The incidence of NAFLD is rising globally in parallel to the increasing incidences of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes remains the leading cause of CKD, but the co-existence of NAFLD, CKD, and type 2 diabetes is not well elucidated. Here, we evaluated the prevalence of NAFLD in patients with type 2 diabetes with and without CKD. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including 50 patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD stages 3-5 (no dialysis), and 50 patients with type 2 diabetes without CKD. Liver fat content was estimated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction. NAFLD was defined as liver fat fraction ≥ 5.6% according to guidelines. Results: Mean age was 72 ± 4.9 years in patients with CKD and 65.9 +/- 7.8 years in patients without CKD (p < 0.0001). Three out of four participants were men. BMI was 28.6 ± 3.5 kg/m² and 27 ± 4.0 kg/m² in patients with and without CKD, respectively (p = 0.0087). NAFLD was identified in 22 (44%) patients with CKD and 19 (38%) patients without CKD (p = 0.6845). Median (IQR) liver fat fraction was 4.7% (3.0-8.5) and 4.1% (2.9-7.7) in patients with and without CKD, respectively (difference in geometric means 5.3%, 95% CI -23; 45, p = 0.7463). Conclusion: These findings do not support any association between NAFLD and CKD (stages 3-5) in patients with type 2 diabetes.