Assessing Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Patients at a Tertiary Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging global health concern that commonly occurs in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, there is limited literature on the epidemiology of NAFLD among adults with T2DM in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of NAFLD and its associated factors in patients with T2DM attending Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected using a pretested, structured data collection tool. All eligible consecutive patients diagnosed with T2DM were enrolled in this study. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel 2016 and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify associations between dependent and independent variables by calculating odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. A p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 211 patients were enrolled in the study. Females (108; 51.2%) slightly predominated, and the mean (standard deviation) age of patients was 56.2 (11.0) years. Fatty liver was detected in 102 patients, representing a prevalence of 48.3% (95% CI: 42%-55%). Mild, moderate, and severe NAFLD accounted for 19.0%, 24.6%, and 4.7%, respectively. Female sex (AOR = 2.27 [95% CI: 1.17, 4.41]), obesity (AOR = 6.13 [95% CI: 2.15, 17.46]), borderline serum triglyceride levels (AOR = 3.22 [95% CI: 1.36, 7.58]), and high serum triglyceride levels (AOR = 2.29 [95% CI: 1.03, 5.10]) were significantly associated with the presence of NAFLD. Conclusions: NAFLD is highly prevalent among patients with T2DM in this Ethiopian cohort. Female sex, obesity, and elevated serum triglyceride levels are significant risk factors. These findings highlight the urgent need to address the silent epidemic of NAFLD among adults with T2DM in Ethiopia and emphasize the importance of educating patients on adopting healthy lifestyles to reduce the incidence of this condition.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; magnitude; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Figure 1

Magnitude of NAFLD among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus having regular follow-up at Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (n = 211).