Background: The prevalence of diabetes is rapidly rising all over the globe at an alarming rate. According to the World Health Organization, at least 171 million people world wide have diabetes. This figure is likely to double by 2030. The WHO predicts that developing countries will bear the brunt of this epidemic in the 21st century. Aim &Objective: To test the hypothesis that elevated liver enzymes conventionally associated with liver dysfunction predict the occurrence of type2 diabetes in high risk individuals. Methods: About 100 nondiabetic subjects aged between 30-59 years who had risk factors for diabetes defined by the ADA and had elevated liver enzymes were included and followed up for FBS and PPBS at one year. Results: GGT was found to have positive association with FBS (r = 0.58 and P < 0.001) and PPBS (r = 0.43 and P < 0.001) and ALT was also found to have positive association with FBS (r = 0.53 and P < 0.001) and PPBS (r = 0.48 and P < 0.001). These enzymes were also found to have positive correlation with BMI (GGT: r = 0.22 and P < 0.05 and ALT: r = 0.20 and P < 0.05) Systolic Blood Pressure (GGT: r = 0.34 and P < 0.01 and ALT: r = 0.32 and P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation with HDL (GGT: r = -0.23 and P < 0.05 and ALT: r = -0.20 P < 0.05) and positive with Triglyceride levels (GGT:r= 0.52 and P < 0.001 and ALT: r = 0.48 and P < 0.001). At the end of one year 3 subjects who were nondiabetic had raised fasting glucose levels and became glucose intolerant. Conclusion: Our study findings indicate that elevated levels of liver enzymes mainly GGT and ALT are markers of risk of type2 diabetes in high risk individuals and suggests a potential role of the liver in the pathogenesis of type2 diabetes mellitus.
