Serum fetuin-B level is an independent marker for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes

Objective Previous studies have assessed serum fetuin-B and its relation to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and as a link between them through inducing insulin resistance (IR). Therefore, we examined the potential of serum fetuin-B to be an independent marker for NAFLD in patients with T2DM. Patients and methods The study group consisted of 270 patients with T2DM. Clinical and laboratory features were evaluated. The NAFLD severity was graded by ultrasound into three subgroups: grade 0 (no fatty liver), grade 1 (mild fatty liver), and grade 2-3 (medium to severe fatty liver). Fetuin-B, retinol-binding protein-4, and adiponectin were measured. Results Patients with grade 2-3 NAFLD had high fetuin-B levels in comparison with non-NAFLD group. Age and sex adjusted fetuin-B demonstrated positive correlations with triglycerides, gamma-glutamyl transferase, fasting plasma glucose, 2-h postprandial plasma glucose, homeostasis model assessment of IR, fasting insulin, glycated hemoglobin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, but it had a negative correlation with serum creatinine. Adiponectin level was decreased with increasing NAFLD severity, but no difference was found in retinol-binding protein-4. The estimated odds ratio (OR) for the occurrence of grade 2-3 NAFLD was increased significantly with increasing levels of fetuin-B (OR: 3.92; 95% confidence interval: 2.14-8.32 vs. OR: 8.91; 95% confidence interval: 4.22-18.41). The OR of fetuin-B in the uppermost tertile group was still significant after controlling for homeostasis model assessment of IR, glycated hemoglobin, waist circumference, BMI, hepatic enzymes, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that serum fetuin-B had an independent association with NAFLD in patients with T2DM.