title: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a common condition associated with metabolic syndrome. It is the most common cause of elevated liver enzymes in U.S. adults, and is diagnosed after ruling out other causes of steatosis (fatty infiltration of liver), particularly infectious hepatitis and alcohol abuse. Liver biopsy may be considered if greater diagnostic and prognostic certainty is desired, particularly in patients with diabetes, patients who are morbidly obese, and in patients with an aspartate transaminase to alanine transaminase ratio greater than one, because these patients are at risk of having more advanced disease. Weight loss is the primary treatment for obese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Medications used to treat insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and obesity have been shown to improve transaminase levels, steatosis, and histologic findings. However, no treatments have been shown to affect patient-oriented outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Quillen College of Medicine, Johnson City, Tennessee 37604, USA. bayard@mail.etsu.edu
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayard
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boroughs
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D000637:Transaminases