Screening for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Using Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography and Serial Elastography Measurements to Monitor Response to Therapy: Methodological Details

TL;DR

This study explores how to screen for liver disease in people with type 2 diabetes using a non-invasive technique and how to monitor treatment response.

Contribution

The study provides methodological details for using vibration-controlled transient elastography to screen and monitor liver disease in type 2 diabetes patients.

Findings

VCTE will be used to assess the prevalence and severity of MASLD in T2DM patients.

MASLD stages will be linked to diabetes-related complications and glycemic control.

Higher MASLD prevalence is expected in individuals with poor glycemic control and metabolic diseases.

Abstract

Background: In type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most prevalent diffuse liver disease. Although most people with MASLD do not progress to the cirrhotic stage, patients with T2DM appear to advance more quickly and are at higher risk of steatohepatitis and liver-related mortality. The fibrosis degree is the strongest predictor of both liver-specific and all-cause mortality. Due to these factors, it is essential to identify people with advanced fibrosis or those who are more likely to develop it among the vast population of people with MASLD.

Methods: Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) will be used to determine the existence and severity of MASLD in people with T2DM and to examine its relationship to glycemic management and comorbidities associated with diabetes.

Results: Prevalence of MASLD among patients with T2DM will be measured using VCTE as an imaging modality, and the different stages of MASLD will be correlated with other diabetes related complications.

Conclusions: MASLD is a common liver disease in the diabetic population. Although Asians exhibit a considerably lower BMI and reduced obesity rates in contrast with other ethnic groups, they present an elevated prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and MASLD. This study is expected to estimate the prevalence of MASLD. A higher rate of MASLD is expected in diabetic individuals with poor glycemic control and who have other metabolic diseases.