Position statement on the diagnosis and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major national and international health burden. It is one of the most common liver diseases worldwide and the most common cause of abnormal liver enzymes in many developed countries. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is also known as an important cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis and second leading cause for liver transplantation. It is commonly associated with metabolic syndrome. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the progressive phenotype of NAFLD. In spite of promising performance of non-invasive tools, liver biopsy remains the gold standard test for NASH diagnosis. Over decades, many drugs have been investigated in phase 2 and 3; however, no approved therapy to date. Despite the alarming global rates of NAFLD, there are no local community-based studies on the prevalence of NAFLD or local practice guidelines on its management; this expert review aims to fill this gap.