The prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver detected by FibroScan® in women with gestational diabetes in a multiethnic population

Difei Deng; Jacob George; Dharmintra Pasupathy; N Wah Cheung

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108757

The prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver detected by FibroScan® in women with gestational diabetes in a multiethnic population

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2021 Apr:174:108757. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108757. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Authors

Difei Deng¹, Jacob George², Dharmintra Pasupathy³, N Wah Cheung⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Dept of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: difeideng@hotmail.com.
² University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: jacob.george@sydney.edu.au.
³ University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Institute of Reproduction, Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: Dharmintra.Pasupathy@sydney.edu.au.
⁴ University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Dept of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: wah.cheung@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 33744378
DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108757

Abstract

Aims: Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and has been increasingly associated with gestational diabetes (GDM). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of MAFLD in women with GDM in the antenatal period.

Methods: 108 pregnant women with GDM diagnosed on a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test were enrolled from a multiethnic cohort attending a large obstetrics clinic in Sydney, Australia and had a single FibroScan® assessment after 24 weeks gestation to assess for hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. A control attenuated parameter (CAP) cut-off score of ≥ 233.5 dB/m was chosen to signify presence of hepatic steatosis which indicates MAFLD. Obstetric, anthropometric and metabolic measures were analysed.

Results: 29 (26.9%) women had evidence of FibroScan®-detected MAFLD, whilst none had evidence of hepatic fibrosis. Increased maternal BMI (aOR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.20) was associated with the finding of MAFLD in this cohort.

Conclusions: We found a significant antenatal prevalence of FibroScan®-detected MAFLD in this cohort of multiethnic women with GDM. FibroScan® is a safe and rapid assessment tool which may have a role in screening for MAFLD in pregnancy in appropriate at-risk women.

Keywords: Diagnostic imaging; Fatty liver; FibroScan; Gestational diabetes; NAFLD; Ultrasonography.

MeSH terms

Adult
Australia / epidemiology
Body Mass Index
Diabetes, Gestational / physiopathology*
Elasticity Imaging Techniques / instrumentation
Elasticity Imaging Techniques / methods*
Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data*
Female
Gestational Age
Glucose Tolerance Test
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis
Liver Cirrhosis / diagnostic imaging
Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology*
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / diagnosis
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / diagnostic imaging
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / epidemiology*
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women
Prevalence
Ultrasonography / methods