Magnetic resonance imaging reveals altered distribution of hepatic fat in children with type 1 diabetes compared to controls
SE Regnell, P Peterson, L Trinh, P Broberg, P Leander… - Metabolism, 2015 - Elsevier
Metabolism, 2015•Elsevier
Introduction Children with type 1 diabetes have been identified as a risk group for non-
alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim was to compare total hepatic fat fraction and
fat distribution across Couinaud segments in children with type 1 diabetes and controls and
the relation of hepatic fat to plasma and anthropometric parameters. Methods Hepatic fat
fraction and fat distribution across Couinaud segments were measured with magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) in 22 children with type 1 diabetes and 32 controls. Blood tests …
alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim was to compare total hepatic fat fraction and
fat distribution across Couinaud segments in children with type 1 diabetes and controls and
the relation of hepatic fat to plasma and anthropometric parameters. Methods Hepatic fat
fraction and fat distribution across Couinaud segments were measured with magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) in 22 children with type 1 diabetes and 32 controls. Blood tests …
Introduction
Children with type 1 diabetes have been identified as a risk group for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim was to compare total hepatic fat fraction and fat distribution across Couinaud segments in children with type 1 diabetes and controls and the relation of hepatic fat to plasma and anthropometric parameters.
Methods
Hepatic fat fraction and fat distribution across Couinaud segments were measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 22 children with type 1 diabetes and 32 controls. Blood tests and anthropometric data were collected.
Results
No children had NAFLD. Children with type 1 diabetes had a slightly lower hepatic fat fraction (median 1.3%) than controls (median 1.8%), and their fat had a different segmental distribution. The fat fraction of segment V was the most representative of the liver as a whole. An incidental finding was that diabetes patients treated with multiple daily injections of insulin (MDI) had a fat distribution more similar to controls than patients with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII).
Conclusions
In children with type 1 diabetes, NAFLD may be less common than recent studies have suggested. Children with type 1 diabetes may have a lower fat fraction and a different fat distribution in the liver than controls. Diabetes treatment with MDI or CSII may affect liver fat, but this needs to be confirmed in a larger sample of patients. The heterogeneity of hepatic fat infiltration may affect results when liver biopsy is used for diagnosing fatty liver.
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