Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis - early diagnosis and treatment options
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), usually translating as non-alcohol fatty liver disease, is one of the most common diseases of our day due to its prevalence. In Western countries, the estimated prevalence of 17-46% of the adult population is estimated.
Due to this high prevalence of the disease, the relatively small risk of progression in absolute numbers represents a significant number of individuals with advanced liver disease. Therefore, emphasis is placed on the possibility of non-invasive diagnosis of liver disease.
In addition to scoring systems based on the evaluation of laboratory and clinical biomarkers, non-invasive imaging methods, in particular transient elastography and ARFI (acoustic radiation force impulse imaging), are increasingly being used. Currently, NAFLD therapy is based on dietary interventions and increased physical activity.
From the pharmacological options, in the high-risk individuals category treatment with vitamin E should be considered. In diabetics prescription of pioglitazon should be considered.