TY - JOUR
T1 - Features, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
AU - Torres, Dawn M.
AU - Williams, Christopher D.
AU - Harrison, Stephen A.
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - As the global incidence of obesity has increased, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a worldwide health concern. NAFLD occurs in children and adults of all ethnicities and includes isolated fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Patients with NASH are at risk for developing cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma and have increased all-cause mortality. NAFLD is associated with a variety of clinical conditions and is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathogenesis of NAFLD and the specific steps that lead to NASH and advanced fibrosis are not fully understood, although researchers have found that a combination of environmental, genetic, and metabolic factors lead to advanced disease. There have been improvements in noninvasive radiographic methods to diagnose NAFLD, especially for advanced disease. However, liver biopsy is still the standard method of diagnosis for NASH. There are many challenges to treating patients with NASH, and no therapies have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; multimodal approaches are being developed and becoming the standard of care. We review pathogenesis and treatment approaches for the West's largest liver-related public health concern.
AB - As the global incidence of obesity has increased, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a worldwide health concern. NAFLD occurs in children and adults of all ethnicities and includes isolated fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Patients with NASH are at risk for developing cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma and have increased all-cause mortality. NAFLD is associated with a variety of clinical conditions and is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathogenesis of NAFLD and the specific steps that lead to NASH and advanced fibrosis are not fully understood, although researchers have found that a combination of environmental, genetic, and metabolic factors lead to advanced disease. There have been improvements in noninvasive radiographic methods to diagnose NAFLD, especially for advanced disease. However, liver biopsy is still the standard method of diagnosis for NASH. There are many challenges to treating patients with NASH, and no therapies have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; multimodal approaches are being developed and becoming the standard of care. We review pathogenesis and treatment approaches for the West's largest liver-related public health concern.
KW - Cancer Risk
KW - Diagnosis
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Mechanisms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864081494&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.03.011
DO - 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.03.011
M3 - Review article
C2 - 22446927
AN - SCOPUS:84864081494
SN - 1542-3565
VL - 10
SP - 837
EP - 858
JO - Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
JF - Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
IS - 8
ER -