Publication:

Alterations of liver enzymes in T2DM: a case control study

Background Liver plays an important role in regulation of blood glucose in fed state as well as in fasting. Diabetes mellitus can result as a consequence of liver disorder and vice versa. Objective of the present study is to compare the liver enzymes in type 2 diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetic patients.

Methods A case- control study was conducted in Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Adarsha Super speciality Hospital, Udupi from April 2018 to August 2018. The data of 174 diabetic patients and 118 healthy people as controls was collected. Fasting blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were estimated in the study subjects.

Results It was found that AST levels (47.55±4.69U/L) in diabetics extremely significantly high as compared to controls (33.51±2.33U/L). ALT levels were insignificantly high in diabetics compared to controls. ALP was significantly elevated (p=0.0002) in diabetics. Correlation study showed a weak positive correlation between AST, ALT and blood glucose. Odds ratio showed a higher risk of liver enzyme elevation in diabetics. Risk of elevation of AST was found to be 1.65 times high and ALT was 1.25 times high in diabetics compared to non-diabetics.

Conclusions Diabetics had high liver enzymes as compared to non-diabetics. An association was found between type 2 diabetes mellitus and liver enzymes. For better characterization of cause and effect, further studies need to be done on alterations in liver function tests along with the histopathological analysis of liver biopsy samples.