title: Epidemiology and Natural History of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
abstract: The epidemic of obesity has resulted in a parallel incremental burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) worldwide. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease includes a spectrum of liver disease that ranges from simple fat accumulation in the liver to necroinflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, which in essence represent the stages of the natural history of NAFLD. The rising prevalence of NAFLD globally may be accounted for by changes in dietary habits and an increase in sedentary lifestyle. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the aggressive form of NAFLD, is currently the second leading etiology of liver disease among adults awaiting liver transplantation in the United States. In the current review, the authors discuss the uncertainty around the progression from NAFL (steatosis) to NASH (steatohepatitis), the undisputed progression of NASH to cirrhosis, and the risk factors that predispose to such progression. The published literature on the long-term cardiovascular complications and liver-related mortality of NAFLD is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery, Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sanjaya K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Satapathy
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia.
authors.forename: Arun J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sanyal
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index