Which is more dangerous, diabetes or liver fibrosis?

[nash2]

How do we answer that? One way is to look at which one is more likely to kill you. We do that by analyzing what is called the hazard ratio. It measures your likelihood of dying compared to the average person.

You can see by the chart that during the progression from stage 2 to stage 3 fibrosis, a liver patient is twice as likely to die as a patient with type 2 diabetes.

During this period there are probably NO symptoms to indicate that your liver is sick. That kind of sucks since 30% of us have a liver disease.

As a society we test and intervene for diabetes but not for advancing NASH even though the risk of death is higher for liver disease.

These grim statistics are why we advocate for wellness screening for the detection of advancing liver disease that has no symptoms.

[Millie09]

Hi Wayne.. what an interesting post.

Learnt something new this evening, i know the BLT are doing their yearly roadshows so i just wondered if they incorporate information like this? I am hoping to go to the Wolverhampton one all being well, i would love to be involved in getting the message across.

[nash2 Partner in reply to Millie09]

I don't know what plans the BLT has as we are US based but I rarely see any analysis of this kind of risk because screening is not the recommended guidelines so early detection isn't analyzed much. We think not testing is a moral hazard but that isn't the mainstream view. The British position might be different

[Millie09 in reply to nash2]

Oh i see.

I am sure it is the same here in the uk or there would be a lot more publicity regarding any early testing. One for me to take up with BLT itself i think .

I am however in total agreement with you.