Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and the cardiometabolic syndrome.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now considered to be the most common liver disease in the United States and involves a spectrum of progressive histopathologic changes. Common risk factors associated with NAFLD include obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Although most patients with NAFLD have simple hepatic steatosis, a significant number develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which may progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or end-stage liver disease. There is increasing evidence that NAFLD is a common feature in patients with the cardiometabolic syndrome, a onstellation of metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, and inflammatory abnormalities in which insulin resistance is thought to play a key role in end-organ pathogenesis. NAFLD is usually diagnosed after abnormal liver chemistry results are found during routine laboratory testing. No therapy has been proven effective for treating NAFLD/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Expert opinion emphasizes the importance of exercise, weight loss in obese and overweight individuals, treatment of hyperlipidemia, and glucose control.
Department of Internal Medicine,2 University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA.
Mohammad Bosem
MB
Abdeen
Nazif A
NA
Chowdhury
Melvin R
MR
Hayden
Jamal A
JA
Ibdah
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D007378:Interleukins