Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an extremely common condition, estimated to affect 6 million Poles (more than 15% of the Polish population). Depending on the histopathological picture, NAFLD is divided into nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Symptoms
The course of NAFLD is often asymptomatic. Because the liver is not innervated, there is no pain with liver disease. It may be possible to feel pressure and discomfort when the liver increases in volume.
Most symptoms are uncharacteristic – patients may experience weakness, tiredness or insomnia.
Causes, risk factors and complications
The main cause of NAFLD is insulin resistance that causes fat accumulation in the liver, resulting in fatty liver. For this reason, people with insulin resistance, type II diabetes and obesity have the highest predisposition to develop NAFLD. Other risk factors include hypertension, older age, hyperlipidemia and elevated alanine aminotransferase levels. Genetic predisposition also has a significant impact on the onset of the disease.
Patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis have liver fibrosis, which can result in cirrhosis.
People with NAFLD have an apparent higher mortality rate compared to healthy individuals, usually associated with cardiovascular disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Treatment
When NAFLD is diagnosed, abdominal ultrasound, blood tests and other laboratory tests are performed. In some cases, a liver biopsy is performed.
NAFLD is an extremely complicated group of diseases crossed with the course of other existing conditions, so the opinion of a specialist is essential for correct diagnosis and effective treatment.
An extremely important factor in improving liver health in NAFLD is dietary change and physical activity. Reducing body weight reduces liver fatness, but cannot fully remove it. It’s also recommended to avoid alcohol consumption, which increases the risk of chronic liver disease. Regular screening for liver disease can detect non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) early enough, preventing inflammation there.