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Burden of liver disease high among diabetics

Category: Liver Diseases

Diabetes is known to increase the risk of liver problems, but experts are saying that the problem may be even greater than previously thought, and doctors should be aware of this risk in their patients and recommend liver panel tests when appropriate.

A team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported at the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases that rates of liver disease are significantly higher among diabetics than in the general population, according to Family Practice News.

"The bottom line is that people with diabetes have associated liver disease, and this is something that providers should be aware of and they should take some sort of preventive measures toward that, [things like] vaccinating against hepatitis B or counseling about decreasing alcohol intake," researcher Kathy Byrd told the news source.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that liver disease accounts for 4.4 percent of all diabetes-related deaths, which is higher than the rate in the general public. Findings such as these underscore the need for diabetics to undergo regular liver panel tests to make sure the organ is functioning properly.