Pancreatic fat and the risk of future dysglycemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the association between pancreatic fat and future dysglycemic outcomes, including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and glycemic progression. The analysis included ten longitudinal studies, revealing that higher pancreatic fat burden was associated with incident T2D (pooled effect estimate, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.27-5.14).

Key findings

• Higher pancreatic fat burden was associated with incident T2D (pooled effect estimate, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.27-5.14).
• Exclusion of one influential study resulted in a pooled effect estimate of 1.45 (95% CI, 1.23-1.73).
• Pancreatic fat was associated with glycemic progression (pooled effect estimate, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.10-3.48).
• Exploratory evidence in lean populations was limited but directionally consistent with overall findings.

Why it matters

Understanding the role of pancreatic fat in dysglycemia can help clinicians identify at-risk patients and potentially guide early interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes and related complications.