Prevalence of fatty liver and diabetes mellitus in patients with fatty pancreas disorder (FPD): A meta-analysis and systematic review.
Yanhong Du, Xiaoyuan Wang, Xiaoyu Li et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined fatty liver and diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with fatty pancreas disorder (FPD), pooling data from 19 studies involving 6,834 patients. Random-effects models estimated fatty liver prevalence at 59.0 % (95 %CI 51.1-66.6) and DM prevalence at 20.6 % (95 %CI 15.0-26.8). Compared with people without FPD, those with FPD had higher odds of fatty liver (OR = 7.87, 95 %CI 5.09-12.17) and DM (OR = 3.19, 95 %CI 2.11-4.82).
Key findings
- Pooled fatty liver prevalence among patients with FPD was 59.0 % (95 %CI 51.1-66.6).
- Pooled DM prevalence among patients with FPD was 20.6 % (95 %CI 15.0-26.8).
- FPD was associated with higher odds of fatty liver than non-FPD (OR = 7.87, 95 %CI 5.09-12.17).
- FPD was associated with higher odds of DM than non-FPD (OR = 3.19, 95 %CI 2.11-4.82).
Why it matters
The findings indicate that fatty liver and DM are common in reported FPD populations and that both are associated with FPD compared with its absence. This supports viewing pancreatic fat in the context of broader metabolic dysfunction, rather than as an isolated imaging finding, while recognising that pooled prevalence estimates do not establish causation.
What to keep in mind
The estimates pool studies using different imaging modalities and geographic settings; MRI/MRS studies reported higher prevalence, indicating that measurement approach may affect estimates.