PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Chin Hee Kim
AU  - Zobair M. Younossi
TI  - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A manifestation of the metabolic syndrome
DP  - 2008 Oct 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - 721--728
VI  - 75
IP  - 10
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/10/721.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/10/721.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2008 Oct 01; 75
AB  - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common form of liver disease, affecting 20% to 30% of the US population. Its clinical manifestations are usually absent or subtle, and it usually comes to medical attention incidentally when aminotransferase levels are found to be elevated or a radiographic study reveals that the liver is fatty. Primary NAFLD is now considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. The pathogenesis is thought to be a multiple-hit process involving insulin resistance, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and adipokines. In general, the prognosis for simple steatosis is very good; however, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in 10% to 15% of patients. There is no established treatment for NAFLD except for weight loss and treating each component of the metabolic syndrome.