DOC News January 1, 2005
Volume 2 Number 1 p. 23
© 2005 American Diabetes Association
Markers of Liver Injury Linked to Type 2 Diabetes
The markers of liver injury, including elevated concentrations of aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), suggest a risk of
type 2 diabetes.
Researchers studied the associations of elevated AST and ALT in 906
patients with type 2 diabetes in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study
who were nondiabetic at the beginning of the study. Insulin sensitivity and
acute insulin response were measured by an intravenous glucose tolerance test
among black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white participants aged 40 to 69
years.
After 5.2 years, 148 individuals had developed type 2 diabetes. Baseline
AST and ALT were positively correlated with fasting insulin, waist
circumference, and fasting glucose levels. These results were inversely
proportional to insulin resistance. After further adjustments for smoking,
waist circumference, triglyceride, HDL, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin
sensitivity, and acute insulin response, both AST and ALT remained strongly
associated with type 2 diabetes. AST and ALT were still positively associated
with type 2 diabetes even after excluding former and moderate to heavy
drinkers.
The authors conclude that AST and ALT independently predict type 2
diabetes. Baseline evaluations of these markers may reflect nonalcoholic fatty
liver disease or other related pathologies.
Hanley AJG, Williams K, Festa A, et al: Elevations in
markers of liver injury and risk of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes 53:2623–2632, 2004.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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