Screening for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in type 2 diabetes patients using the fibrosis-4 score in medina-retrospective study
TL;DR
The findings endorse the need for screening for liver fibrosis in T2DM patients, particularly those at increased risk, and suggest early detection and appropriate management are essential to prevent progression to advanced liver disease.
Abstract
Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global health problem closely linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and advanced fibrosis. The fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index is a standard noninvasive tool for estimating fibrosis risk. This study aimed to describe the demographics, metabolic parameters, comorbidities, and T2DM duration of patients in Medina and to screen for MASLD using the FIB-4 score. Methods At King Salman Diabetic Center, Medina, Saudi Arabia, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 280 T2DM patients aged >35 years. Data were gathered from electronic medical records. FIB-4 levels were calculated and categorized as low (<1.3), intermediate (1.3–2.67), or high (>2.67) risk. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 30, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results A total of 87.9%of the 280 participants had low-risk FIB-4 scores, 11.4% had intermediate risk scores, and 0.7% had high risk scores. Individuals with FIB-4 ≥ 1.3 were predominantly male (64.7% vs. 43.5%, p = 0.0271) and older (median age: 56 vs. 52 years, p = 0.009). The risk groups were not significantly different in terms of body mass index (BMI) and lipid profiles, glycemic control, hypertension, or diabetes duration. Conclusion A significant proportion of T2DM patients had intermediate- or high-risk FIB-4 scores. These findings endorse the need for screening for liver fibrosis in T2DM patients, particularly those at increased risk. Early detection and appropriate management are essential to prevent progression to advanced liver disease.