For example, your doctor may recommend medication to treat high blood pressure, treat high cholesterol, treat type 2 diabetes and/or treat obesity. However, NAFLD has been diagnosed in people without any of these risk factors, including young children. Fatty liver disease is one potential cause of liver inflammation, but it’s not the only one.
They might also order a test known as vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE, FibroScan). This test uses low frequency sound waves to measure liver stiffness. For reference, a standard drink contains about 14 g of alcohol. Fatty liver can also happen during pregnancy, although this is uncommon.
Hepatitis A: Signs, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention, Treatment, Prognosis
If there’s no inflammation or other complications, the condition is known as simple NAFLD. That’s why it’s so important to prevent it from developing in the first place. A recent study by Draijer et al9 examined the natural history of pediatric NAFLD over a 10-year-period in 133 children with severe obesity.
- A weight loss of approximately 5- 10% of your body mass will certainly improve the condition in patients suffering from NAFLD.
- If you develop cirrhosis, it also increases your risk of liver cancer and liver failure.
- For example, not smoking, keeping your weight in check, taking regular exercise and eating a healthy balanced diet.
- If you have viral hepatitis, antiviral medications can prevent further liver damage.
- Further, adds Dr. Kabbany, most studies in children are based in tertiary referral centers, limiting their application to the general population.
Most people with simple fatty liver or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have no symptoms. However, some people with simple fatty liver or NASH have a nagging persistent pain in the upper right part of the tummy (abdomen), over an enlarged liver. As most people do not have symptoms, the diagnosis is often first suspected when an abnormal symptoms of alcohol related liver disease blood test result occurs. NAFLD is most common in middle-aged or older people, although younger people, including children, are also affected. However, a person with NAFLD may not have all or any of the other conditions that make up the metabolic syndrome, and individuals with some or all of those conditions may not have NAFLD.
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If there’s no inflammation or other complications, the condition is known as simple alcoholic fatty liver. This is a serious condition where normal liver tissue is replaced by a lot of fibrosis (scarring). The structure and function of the liver are badly disrupted. Many liver conditions can lead to cirrhosis, including NAFLD. See the separate leaflet called Cirrhosis for more details.
The liver normally contains some fat; an individual is considered to have a fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) if the liver contains more than 5 to 10 percent fat. If you’ve been diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, sticking to recommended lifestyle changes may be enough to preserve good liver health for a long time. You may even be able to reverse liver damage in the earliest stages of the disease. Compared with a healthy liver (top), a fatty liver (bottom) appears bigger and discolored. Tissue samples show extra fat in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, while inflammation and advanced scarring are seen in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH): Treatment
This is mainly lifestyle changes – in particular, diet, weight loss and exercise for most people and giving up smoking if you smoke. Most people with NAFLD only have the early stage – ‘simple fatty liver’. Only a minority will progress to develop inflammation of the liver (called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ or NASH). And, only a minority of people with NASH will progress to develop cirrhosis. It is not clear why some people with simple fatty liver progress to the more severe forms of NAFLD, and most do not. Cirrhosis of the liver can’t be reversed, but it is possible to slow or stop its progression.
- A condition similar to NAFLD can affect people who do drink a lot of alcohol.
- These changes may help prevent further liver damage and scarring from occurring.
- Remember that having risk factors means you’re at an increased risk of fatty liver disease compared with people who don’t have risk factors.
- When fatty liver develops in someone who drinks a lot of alcohol, it’s known as alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD).
The scan can show an enlarged liver compatible with the diagnosis of NAFLD, and can also show signs of other causes of liver problems. Empower yourself to work with your doctors and medical team to achieve the best health outcomes on your journey with NASH by downloading our NASH Patient Bill of Rights. Talking to your doctor about NASH is critical, and it’s a conversation that could save your life. Asking the right questions is an important part of getting the most from your doctor’s visit.