Disease analysis

Disease Analysis: Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

The diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) requires evidence of hepatic steatosis and the lack of secondary causes of liver fat accumulation such as substantial alcohol consumption, long-term use of a steatogenic medicine, or monogenic hereditary disorders. NASH is a more advanced form of NAFLD where there is liver inflammation with hepatocyte injury, which can lead to hepatic fibrosis. Although the presence of fibrosis is not required for a diagnosis of NASH, fibrosis is present in over 80% of NASH patients. For this reason, NASH patients are often further segmented by their fibrosis stage. Detection of fibrosis is important as it is linked to worse outcomes for patients.