title: Prevalence, gender, ethnic variations, and prognosis of NASH.
abstract: We provide an update review on the prevalence, gender, ethnic variations, and prognosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). According to annual health checks, 9-30% of Japanese adults have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by ultrasonography (US) and prevalence of NASH is estimated to be 1-3%. These conditions are strongly associated with the presence of obesity and lifestyle-related diseases. NAFLD and NASH exhibit age and gender differences in both prevalence and severity. Among younger patients, these conditions are more common in men (2-3 times); however, after 60 years of age, the prevalence of NASH is higher in women. According to a systemic analysis of histological findings for NASH, 37.6% of patients had progressive fibrosis, 20.8% improved, and 41.6% remained stable over a mean duration of follow-up of 5.3 years. Age and presence of inflammation on initial biopsy were independent predictors of progression to advanced fibrosis. The frequencies of development of cirrhosis in NASH are 5-25% during around 7-year follow-up periods. Survival in NASH is lower than the expected survival of the matched general population due to the higher prevalence of cardiovascular and liver-related death. In patients with cirrhotic NASH, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver failure are the main causes of morbidity and mortality (5-year cumulative HCC development rate 11.3%, 5-year survival rate 75.2%, respectively). The cumulative rate of recurrence of HCC at 5 years was 72.5%. Regular screening for complications of liver cirrhosis and HCC is extremely important for cirrhotic NASH patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan. drs-hashimoto@mti.biglobe.ne.jp
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Katsutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokushige
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013534:Survival