The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionIncreasing evidence shows that hyperglycemia-induced glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity that usually accompany diabetes development damage the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of the hepatocytes in diabetic patients. Clinical studies highlighted the association between type 2 diabetes...

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Main Authors: Nimer Mehyar, Ziyad Alhajeri, Muath Alosaimi, Ziyad Alanazi, Abdulkarim Alanazi, Raghib Abusaris
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1617641/full
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author Nimer Mehyar
Nimer Mehyar
Ziyad Alhajeri
Ziyad Alhajeri
Muath Alosaimi
Muath Alosaimi
Ziyad Alanazi
Ziyad Alanazi
Abdulkarim Alanazi
Abdulkarim Alanazi
Raghib Abusaris
Raghib Abusaris
author_facet Nimer Mehyar
Nimer Mehyar
Ziyad Alhajeri
Ziyad Alhajeri
Muath Alosaimi
Muath Alosaimi
Ziyad Alanazi
Ziyad Alanazi
Abdulkarim Alanazi
Abdulkarim Alanazi
Raghib Abusaris
Raghib Abusaris
author_sort Nimer Mehyar
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionIncreasing evidence shows that hyperglycemia-induced glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity that usually accompany diabetes development damage the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of the hepatocytes in diabetic patients. Clinical studies highlighted the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus, comorbidities, and medications with liver function. The objective of this study is to explore the association between liver function tests’ abnormalities and comorbidities, medications, and other risk factors in type 2 diabetes patients registered in the Best-Care system of the Saudi Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study employing a chart of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We drew a simple random sample of 523 T2DM patients who had a liver function test from the Best-Care database of the Ministry. We applied various statistical analyses, including Student’s independent t-test, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and odd ratios, to measure associations between different variables and liver function tests’ abnormalities.ResultsAbout 35% of patients included in this study showed an abnormal level of gamma-glutamyl transferase and prothrombin time. Abnormalities of serum albumin, prothrombin time, and total serum protein tests were significantly associated with age (P < 0.05). Gamma-glutamyl transferase test abnormalities were significantly associated with gender (P < 0.05). The study found associations between several comorbidities and the abnormalities of liver function tests. These tests include the total bilirubin, albumin, total serum protein, gamma-glutamyl trans, international normalized ratio, and alanine aminotransferase. The associations were at significant levels (P < 0.05). Liraglutide was significantly associated with aspartate aminotransferase (OR = 14.40, 95% CI = 2.8, 73.2), while allopurinol was significantly associated with international normalized ratios (OR = 24.67, 95% CI = 2.95, 206.58) and total serum protein (OR = 5.44, 95% CI = 1.43, 20.83).DiscussionThis study is the first to examine the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and liver function tests’ abnormalities in Saudi Arabia. Although the results have a limited generalizability due to inherent biases, the findings align with similar studies in other populations. The study stresses the need to monitor liver functions, especially of T2DM patients who suffer from other conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-abd42ccb57954d498bc2b5ac4c630b6c2025-08-20T03:34:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare2673-66162025-07-01610.3389/fcdhc.2025.16176411617641The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional studyNimer Mehyar0Nimer Mehyar1Ziyad Alhajeri2Ziyad Alhajeri3Muath Alosaimi4Muath Alosaimi5Ziyad Alanazi6Ziyad Alanazi7Abdulkarim Alanazi8Abdulkarim Alanazi9Raghib Abusaris10Raghib Abusaris11College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCollege of Public Health and Health Informatics, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaIntroductionIncreasing evidence shows that hyperglycemia-induced glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity that usually accompany diabetes development damage the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of the hepatocytes in diabetic patients. Clinical studies highlighted the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus, comorbidities, and medications with liver function. The objective of this study is to explore the association between liver function tests’ abnormalities and comorbidities, medications, and other risk factors in type 2 diabetes patients registered in the Best-Care system of the Saudi Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study employing a chart of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We drew a simple random sample of 523 T2DM patients who had a liver function test from the Best-Care database of the Ministry. We applied various statistical analyses, including Student’s independent t-test, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and odd ratios, to measure associations between different variables and liver function tests’ abnormalities.ResultsAbout 35% of patients included in this study showed an abnormal level of gamma-glutamyl transferase and prothrombin time. Abnormalities of serum albumin, prothrombin time, and total serum protein tests were significantly associated with age (P < 0.05). Gamma-glutamyl transferase test abnormalities were significantly associated with gender (P < 0.05). The study found associations between several comorbidities and the abnormalities of liver function tests. These tests include the total bilirubin, albumin, total serum protein, gamma-glutamyl trans, international normalized ratio, and alanine aminotransferase. The associations were at significant levels (P < 0.05). Liraglutide was significantly associated with aspartate aminotransferase (OR = 14.40, 95% CI = 2.8, 73.2), while allopurinol was significantly associated with international normalized ratios (OR = 24.67, 95% CI = 2.95, 206.58) and total serum protein (OR = 5.44, 95% CI = 1.43, 20.83).DiscussionThis study is the first to examine the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and liver function tests’ abnormalities in Saudi Arabia. Although the results have a limited generalizability due to inherent biases, the findings align with similar studies in other populations. The study stresses the need to monitor liver functions, especially of T2DM patients who suffer from other conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1617641/fullliver function testtype 2 diabetes mellituscomorbiditiesliraglutideallopurinolSaudi Arabia
spellingShingle Nimer Mehyar
Nimer Mehyar
Ziyad Alhajeri
Ziyad Alhajeri
Muath Alosaimi
Muath Alosaimi
Ziyad Alanazi
Ziyad Alanazi
Abdulkarim Alanazi
Abdulkarim Alanazi
Raghib Abusaris
Raghib Abusaris
The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare
liver function test
type 2 diabetes mellitus
comorbidities
liraglutide
allopurinol
Saudi Arabia
title The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
title_full The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
title_short The association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
title_sort association between liver function tests abnormalities and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in saudi arabia a cross sectional study
topic liver function test
type 2 diabetes mellitus
comorbidities
liraglutide
allopurinol
Saudi Arabia
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2025.1617641/full
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