Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- 1 Acute Viral Hepatitis
- 2 Chronic Hepatitis B and D
- 3 Chronic Hepatitis C
- 4 HIV and Viral Hepatitis
- 5 Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- 6 Alcoholic Liver Disease
- 7 Genetic Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload
- 8 Wilson's Disease
- 9 Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and the Liver
- 10 Autoimmune Liver Disease
- 11 Drug-Induced Liver Disease (DILI)
- 12 Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Liver
- 13 Complications of Cirrhosis
- 14 Liver Transplantation
- 15 Novel Technologies in Studying Chronic Liver Disease
- Index
- References
5 - Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Contributors
- 1 Acute Viral Hepatitis
- 2 Chronic Hepatitis B and D
- 3 Chronic Hepatitis C
- 4 HIV and Viral Hepatitis
- 5 Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- 6 Alcoholic Liver Disease
- 7 Genetic Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload
- 8 Wilson's Disease
- 9 Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and the Liver
- 10 Autoimmune Liver Disease
- 11 Drug-Induced Liver Disease (DILI)
- 12 Benign and Malignant Tumors of the Liver
- 13 Complications of Cirrhosis
- 14 Liver Transplantation
- 15 Novel Technologies in Studying Chronic Liver Disease
- Index
- References
Summary
INTRODUCTION
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) resembles alcoholic liver disease but it occurs in individuals who do not have a history of significant alcohol consumption. The term nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was coined by Ludwig and colleagues in 1980 to describe the biopsy findings of steatohepatitis occurring in obese, diabetic, women who did not consume excessive amounts of alcohol.
NAFLD is now recognized as one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease in the United States and many other parts of the world. It is recognized as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that include central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus.
NAFLD is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide spectrum of clinical and pathologic entities ranging from simple steatosis, which typically follows a benign course, to NASH, which can potentially progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. “Burned-out NASH” is a leading cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis. In the United States, cryptogenic cirrhosis accounts for about 10% of all liver transplants and can recur after transplantation. A population-based study showed that subjects with NAFLD have a higher risk for all cause mortality than the general population. Needless to say, NAFLD has major health and health care utilization implications worldwide.
NAFLD Epidemiology
Investigations of the epidemiology of NAFLD and NASH are hampered by the lack of accurate, sensitive, and noninvasive disease markers.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Practical Management of Liver Diseases , pp. 77 - 97Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
References
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