Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: one entity, multiple impacts on liver health.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is very prevalent and now considered the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Staging the severity of liver damage is very important because the prognosis of NAFLD is highly variable. The long-term prognosis of patients with NAFLD remains incompletely elucidated. Even though the annual fibrosis progression rate is significantly higher in patients with nonalcoholic hepatitis (NASH), both types of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) can lead to fibrosis. The risk for progressive liver damage and poor outcomes is assessed by staging the severity of liver injury and liver fibrosis. Algorithms (scores) that incorporate various standard clinical and laboratory parameters alongside imaging-based approaches that assess liver stiffness are helpful in predicting advanced fibrosis.
Medical Clinic II Gastroenterology, University Hospital Bucharest, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 7001, Bucharest, Romania. cfierbinteanu@yahoo.com.
Carmen
C
Fierbinteanu-Braticevici
Department of Cardiology, Bagdasar-Arseni Emergency Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
Crina
C
Sinescu
Medical Clinic II Gastroenterology, University Hospital Bucharest, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 7001, Bucharest, Romania.
Alexandru
A
Moldoveanu
Medical Clinic II Gastroenterology, University Hospital Bucharest, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 7001, Bucharest, Romania.
Ana
A
Petrisor
Medical Clinic II Gastroenterology, University Hospital Bucharest, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 7001, Bucharest, Romania.
Sorina
S
Diaconu
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Eroii Sanitari Blvd, 050474, Bucharest, Romania. dragos@cretoiu.ro.|Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania. dragos@cretoiu.ro.
Dragos
0000-0003-3214-030X
D
Cretoiu
Theodor Burghele Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
Bogdan
B
Braticevici
D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
Disease progression; Fatty liver; Liver cirrhosis; Liver fibrosis; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis