An article published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology stated that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as the presence of hepatic fat accumulation, after the exclusion of other causes of hepatic steatosis including other causes of liver disease, excessive alcohol consumption, and other conditions that may lead to hepatic steatosis. NAFLD encompasses a broad clinical spectrum ranging from nonalcoholic fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The authors reported that globally, NAFLD is the most common liver disease while NASH may soon become the most common indication for liver transplantation. Widespread persistence of obesity with increasing rate of diabetes is likely to heighten prevalence of NAFLD. Besides, with an aging population, many will develop cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease.

This article informed that there has been a general rise in the prevalence of NAFLD - Asia being at the leading position while United States closely follows, with an increasing prevalence from 15% to 25% within a span of 5 years, beginning 2005. Moreover, NAFLD is commonly associated with metabolic comorbidities, including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. Additionally, based on its subtypes, NAFLD has the potential to progress into advanced fibrosis, end-stage liver disease and HCC.

It was stated that the increasing prevalence of NAFLD with advanced fibrosis is concerning because such patients appear to experience higher liver-related and non-liver-related mortality than the general population. The article summarized that the increased morbidity and mortality rates, healthcare costs and declining health-related quality of life (QoL) associated with NAFLD makes it a formidable disease -one that requires more in-depth analysis.

Source: Perumpail BJ, Khan MA, Yoo ER, Cholankeril G, Kim D, Ahmed A. Clinical epidemiology and disease burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2017;23(47):8263–8276. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i47.8263