Study shows liver fibrosis is an independent predictor of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) was diagnosed more often in patients with liver steatosis or fibrosis, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.

Researchers collected demographics and clinical characteristics from patients (N = 520; 43.6% men) with type 2 diabetes and assessed liver health and symptoms of DPN. The mean age of the participants was 65 years, the mean body mass index was 24.47 kg / m2 and the mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 7.01%.

Most of the patients (63.0%) had liver steatosis and 18.1% had liver fibrosis. Patients with liver steatosis were more severe, had shorter duration of diabetes, and had higher fasting insulin and C-peptide levels, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (all P <0.001). Patients with liver fibrosis were more likely to be women (P = .004), heavier (P = .03), had higher HbA1c (P = .01), and had higher systolic (P = .001) and diastolic (P = .001 ) Blood pressure readings.

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Most of the patients had DPN (52.1%). Patients with DPN were more likely to be men (P <.001), younger (P = .02), heavier (P = .001), had a higher HbA1c (P <.001) and a higher systolic (P <.001) and diastolic (P <.001) blood pressure readings. The indicators of kidney, liver, and inflammatory health did not differ on the basis of DPN.

DPN was diagnosed more frequently in patients with liver steatosis than in patients without (55.7% vs. 44.9%; P = .03) and in patients with liver fibrosis vs. patients without (61.5% vs. 50.0% ; P = .04).

In the fully adjusted multivariate analysis, liver fibrosis was significantly associated with DPN (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.24; 95% CI, 1.11-4.53; P = 0.02), but no liver steatosis (aOR 1.78; 95% CI 0.97-3.25; P = 0.06).

One limitation of this study is its cross-sectional design; Therefore, no causal relationships could be established.

These data show that DPN was more common in patients with liver fibrosis and steatosis and that fibrosis was an independent predictor of DPN.

Disclosure: Shanghai Haishen Medical Electronic Instrument Co and Wuxi Hisky Medical Technologies Co supplied the equipment used in the study. For a full list of specifications, see the original reference.

reference

J. Huang, R. Li, N. Liu et al. Liver fibrosis is independently associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J diabetes examination. Published online May 4, 2021. doi: 10.1111 / jdi.13562

This article originally appeared on Endocrinology Advisor