Objective: The aim of our study was to establish a link between the severity of hepatic steatosis and subclinical atherosclerosis in a group of diabetes mellitus type 2 patients.

Methods: The study group was represented by 92 pati-ents with diabetes mellitus type 2, treated with antidiabetic drugs or diet. The severity of hepatic fatty load was assessed using ultrasonography. Subclinical athe-roslecrosis was represented by intima-media thickness

Results: The mean age of the study group was of 60.38 ± 10.37, with a relative equal distribution among genders (48% men, 52% women).Th e vast majority of the subjects presented diff erent degrees of hepatic fatty loading (only 9,89% had a normal ultrasonographic aspect of the liver). More than 50% of the patients had hypercholesterolemia, hypertrigliceridemia and hypo HDLcholesterolemia. 62% of the subjects presented abnormal values of the CIMT. A number of 9 subjects (9.89% of the cases) were diagnosed with atheroma of the carotid arteries, 8 of the 9 cases (88.89%) showing a moderate or severe steatosis level. Althought there were no signifi cant diff erences by gender between the incidence of diff erent degrees of hepatic steatosis, it may be noted that the cases with normal liver were nearly two times higher in men. Th e frequency of mild and moderate steatosis was higher in women. Severe steatosis had an almost equal frequency among genders. We established a direct correlation between subclinical atherosclerosis and the level of hepatic fat loading. Th us, it was proved that the average values of CIMT are continuously increasing, according to the level of the hepatic aff ection.
Conclusions: Hepatic steatosis, which is sometimes seen as a benign condition, should be considered a cardiovascular risk factor, especially in diabetes mellitus type 2 pacients.