Fatty liver indices and their association with glucose metabolism in pregnancy – An observational cohort study

• Published in: Diabetes research and clinical practice 2022-07, Vol.189, p.109942-109942, Article 109942
• Main Authors: Linder, Tina, Eppel, Daniel, Kotzaeridi, Grammata, Rosicky, Ingo, Yerlikaya-Schatten, Gülen, Kiss, Herbert, Weißhaupt, Karen, Henrich, Wolfgang, Bozkurt, Latife, Tura, Andrea, Roden, Michael, Göbl, Christian S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0168-8227; 1872-8227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109942

•Already at early gestation, participants classified as being at high risk for MAFLD according to FLI and HSI showed increased fasting glucose, insulin secretion, fasting insulin and HbA1c.•During the OGTT in the second trimester, patients with high FLI or HSI scores showed increased fasting glucose and increased mean and maximum glucose levels as compared to low and intermediate risk groups as well as an impaired insulin sensitivity and β-cell function.•FLI and HSI were associated with the development of GDM.•Newborns of the FLI and HSI high risk groups showed significantly higher birth weight percentiles as compared to low or intermediate risk even after adjustment for GDM status. Non-invasive hepatic steatosis indices can be used to assess the risk for metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). This may be helpful to detect metabolic disorders in pregnancy, specifically gestational diabetes (GDM). We aimto examine the association of these indices with parameters of glucose metabolism. 109 women underwent a metabolic characterization at 16 weeks of gestation andwere classified according to the fatty-liver index (FLI) andhepatic-steatosis index (HSI) into low (G1), intermediate (G2) and high risk (G3). At 26 weeks, participants received an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to assess insulin action, β-cell function and GDM status. Both MAFLD indices wereassociated with impaired insulin sensitivityand compensatory increase of insulin release. G3 groups showedimpaired insulin action. The higher circulating insulin concentrations were not able to compensate for insulin resistance in women with higher MAFLD scores, resulting in an increased risk of GDM(OR: 1.05, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.08, p