TITLE:
Screening for Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Brazzaville: Value of Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography (FibroScan®)
AUTHORS:
Jile Florient Mimiesse Monamou, Clausina Mikolélé Ahoui Appendi, Nestor Andzouana, Farel Elilié Mawa Ongoth, Mauria Gilga Ibobi, Danielle Fantore, Raïssa Mayanda, Ngala Akoa Itoua-Ngaporo, Rody Stéphane Ngami, Marlyse Ngalessami Mouakosso, Aranaud Mongo Onkouo, Blaise Irenee Atipo Ibara, Jean-Rosaire Ibara
KEYWORDS:
Screening, Liver Fibrosis, Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography, NAFLD, Type 2 Diabetes, Brazzaville
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Gastroenterology,
Vol.16 No.11,
November
12,
2026
ABSTRACT: Objective: This paper aims to determine the frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the severity of liver fibrosis assessed by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Brazzaville. Population and Method: This was a cross-sectional and analytical study that took place from April 1, 2021, to October 30, 2021, a period of 7 months. The outpatient department for metabolic and endocrine diseases at the Brazzaville University Hospital served as the setting for patient recruitment. The liver fibrosis assessment was performed at the Suza Clinic. We included all consenting patients with type 2 diabetes, aged at least 18 years. Patients with known chronic liver disease of any cause and patients reporting risky alcohol consumption (>30 g/day for men and >20 g/day for women) were not included. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were assessed by VCTE (FibroScan®) with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). The variables studied were sociodemographic, clinical, and paraclinical. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25 software. Results: In our study, we included 50 type 2 diabetic patients. Men represented 36% (n = 18) and women 64% (n = 32). The mean age of the patients was 56.08 +/− 10.48 years, with a range of 27 to 80 years. The mean duration of type 2 diabetes was 5.38 +/− 5.73 years, with a range of 0 to 21 years. Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and dyslipidemia were noted in 58%, 62%, and 48% of cases, respectively. Glycated hemoglobin was elevated in 72% of cases. Fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was detected in 44 patients, representing a frequency of 88%. Among the 44 patients with fatty liver disease, seven patients were at stage S1 (15.9%), eighteen patients at stage S2 (40.9%), and nineteen patients at stage S3 (43.2%). Among them, 26 patients (59.1%) had no or mild fibrosis (F0 - F1), 8 (18.2%) had F2, 7 (15.9%) had F3 and 3 (6.8%) had F4 fibrosis. Significant fibrosis (≥F2) was found in 18 patients (40.9%) and advanced fibrosis (F3 - F4) in 10 patients (22.7%). Conclusion: NAFLD is very frequent in patients with type 2 diabetes in Brazzaville, and more than one in five patients with NAFLD has advanced fibrosis. Systematic screening by VCTE should be considered in this population.