Alterations of hepatic lipid content following COVID-19 in persons with type 2 diabetes

Introduction The study aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 on hepatic lipid (HL) content, fibrosis risk, and adiposity in persons with type 2 diabetes.Research design and methods Participants with type 2 diabetes with a history of mild COVID-19 (n=15, age 58 +/- 12 years, body mass index 30.9 +/- 5.2 kg/m2) were examined before (baseline) and 1 year (12 +/- 2 months) after (follow-up) recovery from COVID-19. Investigations for changes in metabolic risk comprised clinical examination, fasting blood sampling and MR-based measurements. Potential changes were corrected with the time course of the respective parameters in a group of participants who did not contract COVID-19 over the same time course (n=14, 61 +/- 6 years, 30.0 +/- 4.6 kg/m2).Results COVID-19 resulted in a relative increase in HL content of 56% (95% CI 18%, 106%; p=0.04) measured as proton density fat fraction (HL-PDFF), corrected for the time course in the absence of COVID-19. While no changes in hepatic stiffness and volume, intramyocellular lipids, whole-body, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue volumes as well as homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance and beta-cell function were observed.Conclusions History of COVID-19 in persons with type 2 diabetes is associated with higher HL-PDFF after 1 year following recovery from infection.Trial registration number NCT01055093.