The Congress explored the relationship between Diabetes, NAFLD and NASH. Key communications feature an EASD/EASL Symposium on Friday, 20 September 2019 entitled “Is NAFLD a risk for health in the context of diabetes?” covering: Metabolic NAFLD; Genetic NAFLD; NAFL vs NASH, diagnosis and treatment: a hepatologist's perspective.

A recent article by Dr Adel Hammoutene and Prof Pierre-Emmanuel Rautou from Paris, France sheds light on the role of Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). improving LSEC health seems to be an interesting approach to prevent NAFLD progression and complications.

The author describes current knowledge of the role of PPARs in the regulation of whole-body energy metabolism and several examples of food factors that act as ligands of PPARs, which may be useful in the management of obesity and the accompanying energy metabolism abnormalities.

The Congress Spotlight this year is Global Cardiovascular Health. Organised together with the World Heart Federation that highlighted differences in prevalence, clinical manifestations, prevention strategies, diagnostic modalities and management of cardiovascular diseases around the world. More than 30 000 healthcare professionals attended.

Prof. Sven Francque, Chair of the PanNASH initiative reviews the current management options in NASH and the many molecules in development. It sheds light on the rationale for PPAR agonists as a promising and very valuable therapeutic option with systemic potential, for what happens in the liver and outside of the liver.

Prof Jean-François Dufour, Switzerland sheds lights on this important question.

The PanNASH initiative is led by an international, multidisciplinary expert committee

• Medical experts in areas related to NASH such as hepatology, diabetes, and cardiology
• Scientific experts focused on promoting a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in NASH

It is estimated that 25% of the global adult population is potentially affected by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with the highest prevalence in the Middle East and South America and the lowest in Africa.

Liver biopsy studies suggest that fibrosis progresses at a rate of approximately one stage per decade, suggesting that stage 2 fibrosis will progress to cirrhosis within 20 years.

NAFLD and NASH are substantial public health and economic burden.