Abstract:
Background: Diabetes is one of the largest health emergencies of the 21st century. Diabetes is
associated with various liver disorders. The elevations of liver enzymes are the primary indicator
of hepatic abnormalities. However, the studies that conducted on the prevalence of elevated liver
enzymes and associated factors among diabetic patients are scarce and inconsistent particularly
in Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess serum liver enzymes and associated factors among diabetic patients
attending Ambo public hospitals, Ambo, Ethiopia from July 20 to October 20, 2020.
Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study and systematic random sampling technique
were carried out to select 250 diabetic patients attending Ambo public hospitals. The socio-
demographic and clinical data were collected using the structured questionnaires and patient’s
medical record review. Venous blood was collected after overnight fasting. Then fasting blood
glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline
phosphatase (ALP), and gamma glutamyl-transferase (GGT) were measured using Cobas c311
automated clinical chemistry analyzer. Data were analyzed using Statistical package for social
science version 26 and logistic regression was used to assess associated factors.
Result: Among 250 diabetic patients, 43.2% of them were found to have one or more elevated
liver enzymes. The prevalence of elevated serum ALT, ALP, AST, and GGT was 26.4%, 23.6%,
20.8%, and 20.8% respectively. Having high waist to hip ratio was significantly associated with
the elevation of all selected liver enzymes (p<0.05). While living with diabetes for more than
eleven years, presence of hypertension, and treatment with both insulin and oral hypoglycemic
agent were significantly associated with the elevation of one or more liver enzymes (p<0.05).
Conclusion and Recommendation: This study found high prevalence of one or more and
individual elevated liver enzymes in diabetic patients than many studies. Routine assessment of
serum liver enzymes might be beneficial for diabetic patients to control and follow up liver
dysfunction in diabetic patients. Furthermore, researches that justify this results, clarify
causative factors and mechanisms of liver damage in diabetic patients should be c
