Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and the cardiometabolic syndrome.

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now considered to be the most common liver disease in the United States and involves a spectrum of progressive histopathologic changes. Common risk factors associated with NAFLD include obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Although most patients with NAFLD have simple hepatic steatosis, a significant number develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which may progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or end-stage liver disease. There is increasing evidence that NAFLD is a common feature in patients with the cardiometabolic syndrome, a onstellation of metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, and inflammatory abnormalities in which insulin resistance is thought to play a key role in end-organ pathogenesis. NAFLD is usually diagnosed after abnormal liver chemistry results are found during routine laboratory testing. No therapy has been proven effective for treating NAFLD/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Expert opinion emphasizes the importance of exercise, weight loss in obese and overweight individuals, treatment of hyperlipidemia, and glucose control.

• Authors: Mohammad Bosem Abdeen, Nazif A Chowdhury, Melvin R Hayden, Jamal A Ibdah
• Journal: Journal of the cardiometabolic syndrome (J Cardiometab Syndr) Vol. 1 Issue 1 Pg. 36-40 ( 2006) ISSN: 1559-4564 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17675901 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Interleukins

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis
• Fatty Liver (epidemiology, etiology, pathology)
• Humans
• Insulin Resistance
• Interleukins (metabolism)
• Metabolic Syndrome (complications, metabolism)
• Prevalence
• Prognosis
• Risk Factors
• United States (epidemiology)