title: Statins and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a bright future?
abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease affecting up to 30% of adults in Western countries. NAFLD and mainly nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are independent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors; more of these patients are expected to die from CVD rather than from liver disease. The effect of statins on newer risk factors that may influence the pathobiology of liver damage in NASH is considered. These include microparticles, inflammasomes, gut-liver axis abnormalities and dietary lipids. Evidence suggests that statins induce NAFLD/NASH resolution and substantially improve symptom-free survival from CVD to a greater extent than in patients without NAFLD. However, large randomized clinical trials are needed to verify these findings.
authors.forename: Vasilios G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Athyros
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katsiki
authors.forename: Asterios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
authors.forename: Dimitri P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mikhailidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors