Prevalence of NAFLD and Advanced Fibrosis in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes

May 27, 2026 updated by: Joslin Diabetes Center

Assessing the Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Advanced Fibrosis in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Using Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography and Noninvasive Scores

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with type 1 diabetes receiving care at Joslin clinic using noninvasive imaging and serum-based methods with the goal of identifying high-risk patients with advanced fibrosis who should be prioritized for specialty referral

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a prospective cohort, single-center, single-arm study screening adult subjects with type 1 diabetes from the Joslin Diabetes Center outpatient clinic mainly through physician referrals for NAFLD and advanced fibrosis. Subjects will undergo a one-time screening which will last for about 30 minutes.

The following procedures will be conducted during the study visit:

  1. Blood draw for metabolic measurements (HbA1c, lipid panel, ALT, AST, serum albumin, complete blood count-CBC)
  2. FibroScan Measurements (LSM and CAP)
  3. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, BMI calculation, waist, and hip circumference)
  4. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure

Blood Draw:

Samples of blood taken during the trial for laboratory testing will include the following metabolic measurements: AST, ALT, Platelets, percentage A1C, and lipid parameters (TC, LDL, HDL, TG).

Fibroscan: Vibration controlled transient elastography (VCTE) or FibroScan® (EchoSens, Paris, France) is a simple aid to diagnose adult patients with chronic liver diseases. FibroScan provides a fast and reliable alternative to hepatic needle biopsy. In this 5-7 minute test, the investigator induces a mild amplitude shear wave into liver tissue from a small mechanical vibrator at the end of the FibroScan probe. VCTE evaluates a representative volume of the liver that is 100-fold greater than needle biopsy and the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is expressed in kilopascals (kPa) with values >9.8 kPa being consistent with the presence of advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis. Typically, 10 successful VCTE measurements with a median interquartile range/median ration of less than 30% are needed to have a reliable LSM.

FIB-4 Index: This is a noninvasive surrogate biomarker of advanced fibrosis that is calculated using the following formula:

FIB-4 = Age (years)×AST (U/L)/[PLT(109/L)×√ALT(U/L)] (Sterling, Lissen et al. 2006) FIB-4>2.67 is consistent with the presence of advanced fibrosis with 80% PPV.

NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS): This is a noninvasive surrogate biomarker of advanced fibrosis that is calculated using the following formula:

NFS= -1.675 + 0.037 - age (years) + 0.094 - BMI (kg/m2) + 1.13 × IFG/diabetes (yes = 1, no = 0) + 0.99 × AST/ALT ratio - 0.013 × platelet count (×109/l) - 0.66 × albumin (g/dl).

NFS>0.676 is consistent with the presence of advanced fibrosis

Anthropometric measurements: These include weight, height, BMI calculation, waist, and hip measurements. Measurements will be done using standardized anthropometric techniques.

Follow up may be required for High-risk patients with advanced fibrosis. If patient consents, referring or treating physicians will be notified and provided with fibroscan results for possible referral to hepatologists for further evaluation and intervention.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
533

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215
        • Joslin Diabetes Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This study will include subjects with type 1 diabetes receiving care at Joslin Diabetes Center. Addiotnal subjects from the broader Boston area may be recruited for the study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Subject is male or female
  2. Subject age between 18-75 years old
  3. Subject with an established diagnosis of T1D for at least three months prior to screening

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Subject is pregnant or lactating
  2. Subject has an active malignancy

4.Subject with secondary causes of fatty liver including history of any of the following:

  • Hepatitis B or C virus infection
  • Wilson's disease
  • Lipodystrophy
  • Abetalipoproteinemia
  • Current or previous use of any of the following medication: amiodarone, tamoxifen, methotrexate,corticosteroids (e.g. Prednisone), or Valproate
  • Male subject consuming >30 g of alcohol per day or female subject consuming >20 g of alcohol perday

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Other
  • Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Study Cohort
533 adult subjects with type 1 diabetes with no secondary causes of fatty liver
Device: Transient Elastography
Transient elastography is a noninvasive imaging modality used to assess NAFLD and advanced fibrosis

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of subjects with NAFLD
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) will be used to define the presence of NAFLD
Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Proportion of subjects with advanced fibrosis
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Transient elastography will be used to define the presence of fibrosis
Baseline (one time point evaluation)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of subjects with advanced fibrosis per NAFLD fibrosis score-NFS
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)

NFS will be calculated using the following formula:

NFS= -1.675 + 0.037 - age (years) + 0.094 - BMI (kg/m2) + 1.13 × IFG/diabetes (yes = 1, no = 0) + 0.99 × AST/ALT ratio - 0.013 × platelet count (×109/l) - 0.66 × albumin (g/dl).
Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Proportion of subjects with advanced fibrosis per Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)

FIB-4 will be calculated using the following formula:

FIB-4 = Age (years)×AST (U/L)/[PLT(109/L)×√ALT(U/L)]
Baseline (one time point evaluation)
HbA1c
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Association with level of diabetes control as reflected in percentage HbA1c
Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Anthropometrics
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Association with BMI and waist circumference
Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Lipid profile
Time Frame: Baseline (one time point evaluation)
Association with lipid parameters (LDL, HDL, TG)
Baseline (one time point evaluation)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Joslin Diabetes Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Osama Hamdy, MD PhD, Joslin Diabetes Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 14, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 19, 2022

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 13, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 19, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 20, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY00000092

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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