Can non-alcoholic fatty liver disease increase the risk of kidney disease in type 2 diabetics?

This study examined whether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease increases the risk of diabetic kidney disease.

Long-term hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) can result in many complications for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Diabetic nephropathy is a progressive kidney disease whereby the blood vessels in the kidneys are damaged due to hyperglycemia. This reduces the ability of the kidneys to function optimally. Kidney disease may be divided into five stages, with stage 1 being the early stages of the disease and stage 5 being a more advanced form of the disease.

T2D patients may also have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD occurs due to the presence of fat in the liver and can result in patients having a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels that can lead to heart failure or stroke). It’s thought that patients who have NAFLD may have a higher risk of developing kidney disease.

This study aimed to determine whether T2D patients with NAFLD have a higher risk of developing kidney disease.

This study included 169 T2D patients with NAFLD and 169 patients who did not have NAFLD. The incidence of diabetic kidney disease and the stage of kidney disease were compared between groups.

Participants who had NAFLD had a higher incidence of kidney disease (58.58%) compared to those who did not have NAFLD (37.22%). There were more participants in stage 1 kidney disease compared to stages 2-5 in both groups.

Participants who had a higher degree of fat around the liver were more likely to have lower kidney function. Participants who had NAFLD had higher levels insulin resistance (reduced ability of insulin to lower blood glucose levels).

This study concluded that NAFLD might increase the risk of diabetic kidney disease. A higher level of liver fat may be associated with decreased kidney function.

This study only confirmed that NAFLD is associated with diabetic kidney disease. It is not known whether NAFLD causes diabetic kidney disease.

Consult your physician regarding the options available to reduce your risk of diabetic kidney disease.