Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease : A clinical review

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease may be the most common liver disease in the United States, with a high prevalence in the obese, type 2 diabetic population, and it is probably underestimated as a cause for cirrhosis. Clinicopathologically, it represents a wide spectrum of histologic abnormalities an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Digestive diseases and sciences 2005, Vol.50 (1), p.171-180
Main Authors: SASS, David A, CHANG, Parke, CHOPRA, Kapil B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Disorders of blood lipids. Hyperlipoproteinemia
Fatty Liver - diagnosis
Fatty Liver - etiology
Fatty Liver - pathology
Fatty Liver - physiopathology
Fatty Liver - therapy
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Liver - pathology
Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas
Medical sciences
Metabolic diseases
Obesity
Other diseases. Semiology
Prevalence
Terminology as Topic
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Summary:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease may be the most common liver disease in the United States, with a high prevalence in the obese, type 2 diabetic population, and it is probably underestimated as a cause for cirrhosis. Clinicopathologically, it represents a wide spectrum of histologic abnormalities and clinical outcomes, ranging from benign hepatic steatosis to cirrhosis. Pathophysiologically, insulin resistance is thought to be pivotal in the development of steatosis, after which a second oxidative stressor produces lipid peroxidation and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Liver biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis and prognosis. The need for an effective treatment is both clear and urgent, yet in the absence of proven therapies, treatment is directed toward weight loss and comorbidity management. For patients with NAFLD at risk of disease progression, there is a lack of large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of adequate treatment duration, with baseline stratification according to histologic severity.
ISSN:0163-2116
1573-2568
DOI:10.1007/s10620-005-1267-z