Patients with Type II diabetes more susceptible to liver cirrhosis

AHMEDABAD: Statistics by Ahmedabad-based Narayana multispeciality hospital indicate that Type-II diabetics are at a greater risk of getting affected by contracting liver. This is because of the high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Another key reason is alcohol abuse. In fact, there has been an increase in the cases of liver cirrhosis in India.

An estimated 9% -32% of Indian population suffers from NAFLD, as per a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. It also suggests that NAFLD has gone up in the last 20 years.

Dr Nirav Vakani, consultant - gastroenterology-surgical, of Narayana multispeciality hospital, said, "Diabetes and fatty liver disease are both deadly as they make the patient resistant to insulin apart from unleashing other complications. Patients whose liver have undergone a lot of damage may also need liver transplantation."

Vakhani also said that the disease is now more common among the youth as India grapples with obesity and other lifestyle-related ailments. "However, the disease is preventable through early screening and lifestyle modifications," he added.

With higher number of cases of Type II diabetes in Ahmedabad, people of the city are more vulnerable to liver ailments and failures, say experts. In the last one year, the hospital has received around 400-500 cases of liver ailments of which 50% were already suffering from Type II diabetes.