Diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: the thread of Ariadne

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, the hepatic fat accumulation) and non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, the aggressive form of liver steatosis plus inflammation and hepatocyte necrosis) are reaching epidemic dimensions in subjects with diabetes mellitus (DM). Taking into account that the incidence of DM increases worldwide, these entities represent major health problems. There is accumulating evidence that diabetic subjects with NASH are at increased risk not only for cardiovascular disease compications but also for cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. On the other hand, the presence of NAFLD correlates with an increased risk for the development of DM. The most- widely accepted pathophysiological mechanisms relating DM and NAFLD include central obesity and insulin resistanc, but new insights are under scrutiny. Therapeutic modalities used for the management of diabetes have been studied for their impact on NAFLD/NASH and both neutral and beneficial effects have been reported. In this review, we discuss issues regarding the epidemiology, the pathophysiological pathways relating NAFLD with DM and consider strategies that may be useful in the management of NAFLD in the diabetic population.