Lean NAFLD: Is their metabolic pattern unique in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients?

Introduction: ‘Lean NAFLD' has been defined as the Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)in the absence of overweight and/or obesity, defined by the anthropometric parameter, body mass index (BMI). Aims and Objectives: To assess the prevalence of lean NAFLD in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) patients and to compare the clinical and metabolic profile among lean, overweight and obese NAFLD patients. Materials and Method: 60 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with NAFLD were analyzed for the demographic, anthropometric and biochemical data. The subjects were categorized into three groups according to their BMI, namely lean, overweight and obese NAFLD. One way Analysis of Variance was used to compare the means of continuous variables between groups. Results: The prevalence of lean NAFLD was 25% in our study population. Lean NAFLD patients had lower fasting, but higher postprandial blood glucose and higher insulin resistance. They had comparable blood pressure, HDL-C, total proteins, albumin and bilirubin. Triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, AST, ALT, AST/ALT ratio, and GGT were significantly different between the three groups. Conclusion:Lean NAFLD patients were unique in terms of their blood glucose, Insulin resistance, lipid profile and liver enzymes when compared to the overweight and obese NAFLD.