Research on the natural history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease should be taken seriously
10.3760/cma.j.issn.1007-3418.2017.02.001
- VernacularTitle: 重视非酒精性脂肪性肝病自然史的研究
- Author:
Zehua ZHAO
1
;
Xiaolin LIU
;
Jiangao FAN
Author Information
1. Center for Fatty Liver, Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
- Publication Type:Editorial
- Keywords:
Fatty liver;
Diabetes mellitus;
Liver cirrhosis;
Carcinoma, hepatocellular;
Disease, cardiovascular
- From:
Chinese Journal of Hepatology
2017;25(2):81-84
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multi-system disease, and metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and NAFLD interact as both cause and effect. Deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases and malignant tumors are the adverse outcome of patients with NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and increased deaths caused by liver disease is mainly seen in NASH patients. There is a causal relationship between NASH and hepatocellular carcinoma, and almost 50% of patients with NASH-associated hepatocellular carcinoma do not have liver cirrhosis. At present, cohort studies on the natural history of NAFLD in China should be enhanced in order to provide a basis for the development of health strategies and prevention and treatment measures. This editorial elaborates on the association of NAFLD with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma from the perspective of clinical epidemiology, in order to emphasize the importance of the natural history of NAFLD.
