According to research presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), patients who underwent liver fibrosis screening and were at risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) improved their lifestyles afterwards, especially those who tested positive.

The study included information on 3,014 patients who underwent screening for liver fibrosis because they were at risk for NAFLD (n=1,688) or ALD (n=1,326) as a result of having a BMI above 30, type 2 diabetes or another form of metabolic syndrome, or a history of heavy drinking for more than five years.

A positive screening test result for liver fibrosis was linked with self-refraining from alcohol or reduced intake after 6 months.

A similar correlation between diet and exercise was observed, with 26% of patients reporting a decrease in food consumption and/or an increase in the consumption of more nutritious food after one week, which increased to 34% after six months. This mostly affected the NAFLD-risk group.

At screening, 49% of the ALD-risk group reported excessive alcohol use; which reduced to 34% after six months. People who tested negative showed a median weekly alcohol consumption decrease of 8 units, while those who tested positive showed a decrease of 15 units. 

The study also demonstrates how patients must make adjustments to help them prevent the progression of the diseases. (MedPage Today June 24, 2022)