Nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by diffuse hepatocellular steatosis, excluding alcohol and other definite hepatoprotective factors, including simple fatty liver and its evolution into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and NASH-related cirrhosis. NASH is characterized by intralobular inflammation, hepatocellular damage and/or liver fibrosis based on hepatocellular steatosis and is an intermediate step in the progression from simple hepatic steatosis to liver cirrhosis. NAFLD is now the most common form of liver disease in developed regions, affecting 10% to 20% of the general population. Although NASH is usually asymptomatic and only a few patients have non-specific manifestations such as fatigue, hepatomegaly, and liver discomfort, progressive liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and occasionally hepatocellular hepatocellular carcinoma, can occur in 20% to 25% of NASH. Ma Xiong, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Renji Hospital
I. Diagnosis
After excluding other known liver diseases, clinicians should fully recognize NAFLD/NASH as the most common cause of liver function abnormalities in patients with metabolic syndrome. According to the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease revised by the Fatty Liver and Alcoholic Liver Disease Group of the Chinese Medical Association Liver Diseases Society in February 2006, the clinical diagnostic and typing criteria for NAFLD are as follows.
(I) Clinical Diagnostic Criteria
NAFLD can be diagnosed by having any of the following items 1~5 and item 6 or 7
1. no history of alcohol consumption or alcohol consumption equivalent to ethanol per week in men