J Sae-wong et al. J Pediatr 2021; 230: 32-37. The Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Its Risk Factors in Children and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

In this cross-sectional study with 50 children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), MRE and MRI-PDFF studies were undertaken to determine whether the participants had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Key findings:

• The median age and duration of T1D were 16.9 years (IQR, 13.6-20 years) and 6.5 years (IQR, 4-11 years), respectively. 26% of the cohort were overweight or obese.
• The prevalence of NAFLD was 10% (more than half had normal ALT values). Four out of 5 patients with NAFLD were overweight/obese, and 2 had an and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. None had liver fibrosis (defined as MRE >2.9 kPa).
• High BMI-SDS (body mass index standard deviation score) was the sole independent risk factor associated with NAFLD (OR, 5.79; 95% CI, 1.04-32.18).

My take: This study is reassuring regarding the prevalence of NAFLD in children and young adults with T1D which was comparable to that in the general population. Routine screening for NAFLD in patients with T1D does not appear to be useful.

Related blog posts:

• The Paramount Health Challenge for Humans in the 21st Century
• Online Aspen Webinar on NAFLD and NASH
• How Often Do Children with Obesity Have a Fatty Liver?
• Pediatric NAFLD: You Don’t Have to be Obese/Overweight to have Fatty Liver Disease (but it helps)
• Should Teenagers with Severe NAFLD Undergo Bariatric Surgery?
• Concise Review: Fatty Liver in Pediatrics