Comorbidities

Comorbidities in NAFLD/NASH and their complex interplay

NAFLD is often described as the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. However, as pointed out by Bril and Cusi, NAFLD represents a complex disease process with both metabolic and liver complications, and it can be observed in patients with no clinical manifestations of the metabolic syndrome. Common comorbidities in NAFLD patients include obesity, insulin resistance and/or type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Estimated prevalence of common comorbidities in NAFLD and NASH
reference: Younossi ZM, Koenig AB, Abdelatif D, Fazel Y, Henry L, Wymer M. Global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease – Meta-analytic assessment of prevalence, incidence, and outcomes. Hepatology. 2016;64(1):73-84.

References

  1.  Younossi Z, Tacke F, Arrese M, et al. Global perspectives on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Hepatology. 2018; Sep 4 [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Younossi ZM, Koenig AB, Abdelatif D, Fazel Y, Henry L, Wymer M. Global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease – Meta-analytic assessment of prevalence, incidence, and outcomes. Hepatology. 2016;64:73-84
  3. Bril F, Cusi K. Management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes: a call to action. Diabetes Care. 2017;40:419-30
  4. Li L, Liu DW, Yan HY, Wang ZY, Zhao SH, Wang B. Obesity is an independent risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: evidence from a meta-analysis of 21 cohort studies. Obes Rev. 2016;17:510-9