Risk of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: just a coincidence?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is estimated to afflict ~20-30% of the general population, and over 70% of the patients with Type 2 diabetes. Given the expected rise in the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, NAFLD will be, if not already there, an epidemic. The consequences of NAFLD are numerous, and range from progression to chronic liver disease with its associated morbidity and mortality, to worsening insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, to being a contributor to both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). NAFLD is, therefore, a complex problem with implications far beyond the liver. This review focuses on the rapidly expanding body of clinical evidence suggesting that NAFLD is associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of both CVD and CKD in patients with diabetes. This association appears to be independent of obesity, hypertension, and other potential confounding factors. However, given the heterogeneity and small number of observational studies, further research is urgently required to corroborate the prognostic role of NAFLD in the development and progression of CVD and CKD among patients with diabetes, and to further elucidate the complex and intertwined mechanisms that link NAFLD with these adverse outcomes.