What is the role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in pulmonary carcinoma development?

This article summarizes the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifest-ations of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).The incidence of NAFLD has been increased dramatically and become the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.In addition to its adverse outcomes of liver fibrosis,cirrhosis,and hepatocellular carcinoma,and related complications,NAFLD has recently been found to be associated with the high-risk extrahepatic carcinomas,such as various types of lung cancer(i.e.,lung adenocarcinoma,squamous cell carcinoma,and small cell lung cancer).The presence of hepatic steatosis also predisposes lung cancer to liver metastasis,but has better response to immune checkpoint inhibi-tors.Whether other factors(i.e.,gender,smoking,etc.)are associated with NAFLD and lung cancer remains controversial.We also comment on the reciprocal rela-tionships between NAFLD and components of metabolic syndrome.Most meta-bolic syndrome components are suggested to facilitate lung cancer development via activating insulin/insulin-like growth factor axis.In addition,suppressed anti-tumor immunity and accelerated tumor progression could be attributed to the cell-specific metabolic reprogramming in condition of high-fat diet and related obesity.These findings may reveal the role of NAFLD in pulmonary carcinoma and help develop new treatment strategies for this disease.

Exploring the links between gallstone disease, non-alcoholic fattyliver disease, and kidney stones: A path to comprehensiveprevention

The recent study exploring the bidirectional associations between gallstone disease,non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,and kidney stone disease highlights a critical concern in chronic disease management.Given the rising global prevalence of these conditions,understanding their interconnections is essential.The study emphasizes the importance of shared risk factors,such as obesity,type 2 diabetes,dyslipidemia,and oxidative stress,and calls for multidisciplinary screening strategies.This approach would improve patient outcomes and reduce the socio-economic burden.While the study contributes valuable insights from a Chinese population,further research across diverse populations is necessary to validate and extend these findings globally.Ultimately,the research underscores the need for integrated prevention programs to better manage these interconnected diseases and improve health outcomes.

Research hotspots and trends in gut microbiota and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A bibliometric study

BACKGROUND Recent research indicates that the intestinal microbial community,known as the gut microbiota,may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).To understand this relationship,this study used a compre-hensive bibliometric analysis to explore and analyze the currently little-known connection between gut microbiota and NAFLD,as well as new findings and possible future pathways in this field.AIM To provide an in-depth analysis of the current focus issues and research deve-lopments on the interaction between gut microbiota and NAFLD.METHODS In this study,all data were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection,and the related searches were completed on one day(February 21,2024).The data were stored in plain text format to facilitate subsequent analysis.VOSviewer 1.6.20 and CiteSpace 6.1R6 Basic were used for knowledge graph construction and bibliometric analysis.RESULTS The study included a total of 1256 articles published from 2013 to 2023,and the number of published papers demonstrated an upward trend,reaching a peak in the last two years.The University of California,San Diego held the highest citation count,while Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China led in the number of published works.The journal"Nutrients"had the highest publication count,while"Hepatology"was the most frequently cited.South Korean author Suk Ki Tae was the most prolific researcher.The co-cited keyword cluster labels revealed ten major clusters,namely cortisol,endothelial dysfunction,carbohydrate metabolism,myocardial infarction,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,lipotoxicity,glucagon-like peptide-1,non-islet dependent,ethnicity,and microRNA.Keyword outbreak analysis highlighted metabolic syndrome,hepatic steatosis,insulin resistance,hepatocellular carcinoma,cardiovascular disease,intestinal permeability,and intestinal bacterial overgrowth as prominent areas of intense research.CONCLUSION Through the quantitative analysis of relevant literature,the current research focus and direction of gut microbiota and NAFLD can be more clearly understood,which helps us better understand the pathogenesis of NAFLD,and also opens up innovative solutions and strategies for the treatment of NAFLD.

Critical assessment of the reported bidirectional associations between gallstone, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and kidney stone diseases

The recent article by Jiang et al published in World Journal of Gastroenterology reports substantial bidirectional associations between gallstone disease(GSD),non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),and kidney stone disease(KSD),based on multicenter cross-sectional studies and a systematic review with meta-analysis.While the findings have the potential to significantly impact clinical and pre-ventive strategies,several methodological issues merit closer examination.This letter critiques key aspects of the study,including sample population hetero-geneity,potential confounding variables,and the reliance on cross-sectional data that may limit causal inferences.We also discuss the generalizability of these results to broader populations given the study's focus on the Chinese demogra-phic.By addressing these concerns,we suggest a more nuanced interpretation of the associations between GSD,NAFLD,and KSD,advocating for longitudinal studies to validate these findings and enhance their applicability in global health contexts.

Effectiveness of RESET care program: A real-world-evidence on managing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through digital health interventions

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)management requires sustainable lifestyle modifications.This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the RESET care plan,a comprehensive program that is an integrated personalized diet,exercise,and cognitive behavior therapy,delivered via MyTatva’s digital health application enabled through a body composition analyzer(BCA)and smartwatch.AIM To evaluates the effectiveness of the comprehensive program delivered via My-Tatva’s digital health app enabled through internet of thing devices.METHODS This retrospective observational study analyzed deidentified data from 22 par-ticipants enrolled in the MyTatva RESET care program.Participants were divided into three groups:Group A,diet plan;Group B,diet+exercise plan;and Group C,diet+exercise+cognitive behavioral therapy plan.Participants were provided with a BCA and smartwatch for continuous monitoring of anthropometric para-meters.Statistical analysis,including one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference test,was conducted to compare mean changes in anthropometric parameters across the groups.INTRODUCTION Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has emerged as a global health burden,affecting approximately 1 in 4 in-dividuals worldwide.NAFLD ranges from simple steatosis(fat accumulation)to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH),and its global prevalence in the general population is estimated between 6.3%and 33%,with NASH affecting 3-5%[1,2].Obesity is a major risk factor of NAFLD,with studies showing that the likelihood of developing NAFLD increases 5-fold at a body mass index(BMI)of 30-32.5 kg/m²and up to 14-fold at BMI of 37.5-40 kg/m²compared to a BMI of 20-22.5 kg/m²[3,4].Effective NAFLD management requires both dietary and physical activity modifications.Healthy weight loss with sustained muscle mass plays a pivotal role,with a reduction of 3%-5%decreasing hepatic steatosis,5%-7%improving NASH conditions,and 10%or more needed to reverse hepatic fibrosis[5].Management also normalizes elevated liver enzymes(aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase),enhances insulin sensitivity,and thereby reduces cardiovascular risk by improving endothelial function and increasing cardiorespiratory fitness[6].However,diet or exercise alone is often not as effective as a combined approach.Integrating both balanced dietary changes and increased physical activity yields more sustainable improvements in NAFLD and overall metabolic health[1,7].Traditional intervention methods usually involve in-person consultations,which often lack real-time and continuous patient monitoring.The recommendation of drastic changes in diet and exercise can also be overwhelming for patients,leading to low adherence rates.Many patients struggle to maintain these changes in the long-term due to a lack of con-tinuous motivational support[8,9].In recent years,the health ecosystem has witnessed a significant shift toward digital health platforms,which complement pharmacological treatments in chronic disease management,and increase scala-bility.These platforms provide continuous monitoring and personalized support,helping to bridge the gap between health care setups and patients[10].Recent digital advances enable internet of things(IoT)devices to be integrated into such management plans to track health metrics,to address the limitations of traditional methods[11,12].The MyTatva digital health application offers the RESET plan,a novel comprehensive approach for NAFLD mana-gement by integrating personalized support from nutrition,physiotherapy,and cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT)coaches.We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the RESET plan by analyzing the reduction in anthropometric para-meters across three different digital intervention groups.

Role of gut-liver axis and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)is a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome.It is one of the most common liver diseases worldwide and shows increasing prevalence rates in most countries.MAFLD is a progressive disease with the most severe cases presenting as advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.Gut microbiota play a significant role in the pathogenesis and progression of MAFLD by disrupting the gut-liver axis.The mechanisms involved in maintaining gut-liver axis homeostasis are complex.One critical aspect involves preserving an appropriate intestinal barrier permeability and levels of intestinal lumen metabolites to ensure gutliver axis functionality.An increase in intestinal barrier permeability induces metabolic endotoxemia that leads to steatohepatitis.Moreover,alterations in the absorption of various metabolites can affect liver metabolism and induce liver steatosis and fibrosis.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1 RAs)are a class of drugs developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.They are also commonly used to combat obesity and have been proven to be effective in reversing hepatic steatosis.The mechanisms reported to be involved in this effect include an improved regulation of glycemia,reduced lipid synthesis,β-oxidation of free fatty acids,and induction of autophagy in hepatic cells.Recently,multiple peptide receptor agonists have been introduced and are expected to increase the effectiveness of the treatment.A modulation of gut microbiota has also been observed with the use of these drugs that may contribute to the amelioration of MAFLD.This review presents the current understanding of the role of the gutliver axis in the development of MAFLD and use of members of the GLP-1 RA family as pleiotropic agents in the treatment of MAFLD.

Muscle strength and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/metabolicassociated fatty liver disease

This editorial comments on an article published in a recent issue of World Journal of Gastroenterology,entitled“Association of low muscle strength with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease:A nationwide study”.We focused on the association between muscle strength and the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD),as well as the mechanisms underlying the correlation and related clinical applications.NAFLD,which is now redefined as MAFLD,is one of the most common chronic liver diseases globally with an increasing prevalence and is characterized by malnutrition,which may contribute to decreased muscle strength.Reduction of muscle strength reportedly has a pathogenesis similar to that of NAFLD/MAFLD,including insulin resistance,inflammation,sedentary behavior,as well as insufficient vitamin D.Multiple studies have focused on the relationship between sarcopenia or muscle strength and NAFLD.However,studies investigating the relationship between muscle strength and MAFLD are limited.Owing to the shortage of specific medications for NAFLD/MAFLD treatment,early detection is essential.Furthermore,the relationship between muscle strength and NAFLD/MAFLD suggests that improvements in muscle strength may have an impact on disease prevention and may provide novel insights into treatments including dietary therapy,as well as tailored physical activity.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and sarcopenia:A double whammy

The prevalence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)has increased substantially in recent years because of the global obesity pandemic.MAFLD,now recognized as the number one cause of chronic liver disease in the world,not only increases liver-related morbidity and mortality among sufferers but also worsens the complications associated with other comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease,type 2 diabetes mellitus,obstructive sleep apnoea,lipid disorders and sarcopenia.Understanding the interplay between MAFLD and these comorbidities is important to design optimal therapeutic strategies.Sarcopenia can be either part of the disease process that results in MAFLD(e.g.,obesity or adiposity)or a consequence of MAFLD,especially in the advanced stages such as fibrosis and cirrhosis.Sarcopenia can also worsen MAFLD by reducing exercise capacity and by the production of various muscle-related chemical factors.Therefore,it is crucial to thoroughly understand how we deal with these diseases,especially when they coexist.We explore the pathobiological interlinks between MAFLD and sarcopenia in this comprehensive clinical update review article and propose evidence-based therapeutic strategies to enhance patient care.

Quantitative assessment of self-management in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: An unmet clinical need

In this editorial we comment on the article titled“Establishment and validation of an adherence prediction system for lifestyle interventions in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease”by Zeng et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)represents one of the current challenges in hepatology and public health,due to its continuous growing prevalence and the rising incidence of NAFLD-related fibrosis,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis.The only effective therapeutic strategy for this dis-ease is represented by encouraging patients to improve their lifestyle through the modification of dietary intake and increased physical exercise,but the effective application of such modifications is often limited by various factors such as lack of information,psychological barriers or poor social support.While poor adherence to a healthy lifestyle can be decisive in determining the clinical outcome,in daily practice there is a lack of quantitative instruments aimed at identifying patients with the lowest adherence to lifestyle changes and higher risk of disease progre-ssion in the course of follow-up.In this article,Zeng et al propose a quantitative scale to assess the grade of adherence of patients with NAFLD to hea-lthy lifestyle intervention,called the Exercise and Diet Adherence Scale(EDAS).This scale,consisting of 33 items divided into 6 dimensions which relates to six subjective aspects in the self-management of NAFLD,has shown a good correlation with the identification of the sub-cohort of patients with the highest reduction in caloric intake,increase in physical exercise,probability of a reduction in liver stiffness measurement and alanine aminotransferase levels.The cor-relation among clinical outcomes and specific dimensions of this scale also highlights the pivotal role of a good and confidential doctor-patient relationship and of an effective communication.There is an urgent need for practical and effective instruments to assess the grade of self-management of NAFLD patients,together with the development of multidisciplinary teams with the aim of applying structured behavioral interventions.

Comprehensive Understanding of Immune Cells in The Pathogenesis of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is the most common chronic liver disease,defined by several phases,ranging from benign fat accumulation to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH),which can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis.Although NAFLD is a disease of disordered metabolism,it also involves several immune cell-mediated inflammatory processes,either promoting and/or suppressing hepatocyte inflammation through the secretion of pro-inflammatory and/or anti-inflammatory factors to influence the NAFLD process.However,the underlying disease mechanism and the role of immune cells in NAFLD are still under investigation,leaving many open-ended questions.In this review,we presented the recent concepts about the interplay of immune cells in the onset and pathogenesis of NAFLD.We also highlighted the specific non-immune cells exhibiting immunological properties of therapeutic significance in NAFLD.We hope that this review will help guide the development of future NAFLD therapeutics.

Screening for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease:Time to discard the emperor’s clothes of normal liver enzymes?

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)is the most prevalent chronic liver condition worldwide.Current liver enzyme-based screening methods have limitations that may missed diagnoses and treatment delays.Regarding Chen et al,the risk of developing MAFLD remains elevated even when alanine aminotransferase levels fall within the normal range.Therefore,there is an urgent need for advanced diagnostic techniques and updated algorithms to enhance the accuracy of MAFLD diagnosis and enable early intervention.This paper proposes two potential screening methods for identifying individuals who may be at risk of developing MAFLD:Lowering these thresholds and promoting the use of noninvasive liver fibrosis scores.

Effect of Dendrobium nobile powder combined with conventional therapy on mild to moderate fatty liver

BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)encompasses a variety of liver conditions impacting individuals who consume minimal or no alcohol.Recently,traditional Chinese medicine has been gradually used to treat mild to moderate fatty liver,among which Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder has been affirmed by many doctors and patients to be effective.However,there is limited research on combining this treatment with standard therapies for mild to moderate NAFLD.AIM To survey the effect of combining Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder with standard treatment on liver function and lipid metabolism disorder in patients with mild to moderate NAFLD.METHODS Eighty patients with mild to moderate NAFLD participated in this retrospective study,classified into two groups:The observation group(n=40)and the control group(n=40).In November 2020 and November 2022,the study was conducted at People’s Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area.The control group received standard treatment,while the observation group received Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder based on the control group.The study compared differences in traditional Chinese medicine clinical syndrome scores,liver fibrosis treatment,liver function indicators,lipid levels,and serum inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment,and we calculated the incidence of adverse reactions for both groups.RESULTS The total effective rate was 97.50%in the observation group and 72.5%in the control group.After 8 weeks of treatment,the main and secondary symptom scores remarkably decreased,especially in the observation group(P<0.05),and there was a significant reduction in the serum levels of hyaluronic acid(HA),laminin(LN),human rocollagen III(PC III),and collagen type IV(CIV).The levels of HA,LN,PC III,and CIV were significantly lower in the observation group(P<0.05).After 8 weeks,both groups indicated remarkable improvements in liver function and blood lipid levels,with the observation group having even lower levels(P<0.05).Serum levels of interleukin-1β,tumor necrosis factor-α,and interleukin-8 also dropped significantly.The observation group had a lower rate of adverse reactions(5.00%)compared to the control group(22.50%).CONCLUSION Adding Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder to standard treatment has been found to remarkably improve symptoms and reduce inflammation in patients with mild to moderate fatty liver disease.It also enhances hepatic function and lipid profile,ameliorates liver fibrosis indices,and lowers the risk of side effects.Consequently,this therapeutic protocol shows promise for clinical implementation and dissemination.

Alanine aminotransferase as a risk marker for new-onset metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Chen et al.Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)is a global public health burden whose incidence has risen concurrently with overweight and obesity.Given its detri-mental health impact,early identification of at-risk individuals is crucial.MAFLD diagnosis is based on evidence of hepatic steatosis indicated by liver biopsy,imaging,or blood biomarkers,and one of the following conditions:Overweight/obesity,type 2 diabetes mellitus,or metabolic dysregulation.However,in large-scale epidemiological studies,liver biopsies are not feasible.The application of techniques such as ultrasonography,computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,and magnetic resonance spectroscopy is restricted by their limited sensitivity,low effectiveness,high costs,and need for specialized software.Blood biomarkers offer several advantages,particularly in large-scale epidemiological studies or clinical scenarios where traditional imaging techniques are impractical.Analysis of cumulative effects of excess high-normal blood alanine aminotrans-ferase(ALT)levels of blood ALT levels could facilitate identification of at-risk patients who might not be detected through conventional imaging methods.Accordingly,investigating the utility of blood biomarkers in MAFLD should enhance early detection and monitoring,enabling timely inter-vention and management and improving patient outcomes.

Targeted metabolomics study of fatty-acid metabolism in lean metabolic-associated fatty liver disease patients

BACKGROUND The annual incidence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)in China has been increasing and is often overlooked owing to its insidious charac-teristics.Approximately 50%of the patients have a normal weight or are not obese.They are said to have lean-type MAFLD,and few studies of such patients are available.Because MAFLD is associated with abnormal lipid metabolism,lipid-targeted metabolomics was used in this study to provide experimental evidence for early diagnosis and pathogenesis.MAFLD and analyze metabolic pathways.UPLC-Q-Orbitrap/MS content determination was used to determine serum palmitic acid(PA),oleic acid(OA),linoleic acid(LA),and arachidonic acid(AA)levels in lean-type MAFLD patients.RESULTS Urea nitrogen and uric acid levels were higher in lean-type MAFLD patients than in healthy individuals(P<0.05).Alanine transaminase and cholinesterase levels were higher in lean-type MAFLD patients than in healthy indi-viduals(P<0.01).The expression of high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A-1 were lower in lean-type MAFLD patients than in healthy individuals(P<0.05)and the expression of triglycerides and fasting blood glucose were increased(P<0.01).A total of 65 biomarkers that affected the synthesis and metabolism of fatty acids were found with P<0.05 and variable importance in projection>1.The levels of PA,OA,LA,and AA were significantly increased compared with healthy individuals.CONCLUSION The metabolic profiles of lean-type MAFLD patients and healthy participants differed significantly,yielding 65 identified biomarkers.PA,OA,LA,and AA exhibited the most significant changes,offering valuable clinical guidance for prevention and treatment of lean-type MAFLD.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and low muscle strength: A comment

The diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease only on the basis of laboratory parameter score such as Hepatic Steatosis Index which includes liver enzymes,gender,basal metabolic index,and presence of diabetic mellitus is not sufficient to exclude other causes of deranged liver enzymes especially medications and autoimmune related liver diseases.As the guideline suggests ultrasound is the preferred first-line diagnostic procedure for imaging of NAFLD,as it provides additional diagnostic information and the combination of biomarkers/scores and transient elastography might confer additional diagnostic accuracy and evident from previous similar studies too.

Validity of fatty liver prediction scores for diagnosis of fatty liver by Fibroscan

Background:The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(K-NAFLD)score was recently developed with the intent to operationally define nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).However,there remained an external validation that confirmed its diagnostic performance,especially in patients with alcohol consumption or hepatitis virus infection.Methods:Diagnostic accuracy of the K-NAFLD score was evaluated in a hospital-based cohort consisting of 1388 participants who received Fibroscan®.Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models and the contrast estimation of receiver operating characteristic curves were used for validation of the K-NAFLD score,fatty liver index(FLI),and hepatic steatosis index(HSI).Results:K-NAFLD-moderate[adjusted odds ratio(aOR)=2.53,95%confidence interval(CI):1.13-5.65]and K-NAFLD-high(aOR=4.14,95%CI:1.69-10.13)groups showed higher risks of fatty liver compared to the K-NAFLD-low group after adjustments for demographic and clinical characteristics,and FLI-moderate and FLI-high groups revealed aORs of 2.05(95%CI:1.22-3.43)and 1.51(95%CI:0.78-2.90),respectively.In addition,the HSI was less predictive for Fibroscan®-defined fatty liver.Both K-NAFLD and FLI also demonstrated high accuracy in the prediction of fatty liver in patients with alcohol consumption and chronic hepatitis virus infection,and the adjusted area under curve values were comparable between K-NAFLD and FLI.Conclusions:Externally validation of the K-NAFLD and FLI showed that these scores may be a useful,noninvasive,and non-imaging modality for the identification of fatty liver.In addition,these scores also predicted fatty liver in patients with alcohol consumption and chronic hepatitis virus infection.

Serum bile acid and unsaturated fatty acid profiles of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetic patients

BACKGROUND The understanding of bile acid(BA)and unsaturated fatty acid(UFA)profiles,as well as their dysregulation,remains elusive in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)coexisting with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Investigating these metabolites could offer valuable insights into the pathophy-siology of NAFLD in T2DM.AIM To identify potential metabolite biomarkers capable of distinguishing between NAFLD and T2DM.METHODS A training model was developed involving 399 participants,comprising 113 healthy controls(HCs),134 individuals with T2DM without NAFLD,and 152 individuals with T2DM and NAFLD.External validation encompassed 172 participants.NAFLD patients were divided based on liver fibrosis scores.The analytical approach employed univariate testing,orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis,logistic regression,receiver operating characteristic curve analysis,and decision curve analysis to pinpoint and assess the diagnostic value of serum biomarkers.RESULTS Compared to HCs,both T2DM and NAFLD groups exhibited diminished levels of specific BAs.In UFAs,particular acids exhibited a positive correlation with NAFLD risk in T2DM,while theω-6:ω-3 UFA ratio demonstrated a negative correlation.Levels ofα-linolenic acid andγ-linolenic acid were linked to significant liver fibrosis in NAFLD.The validation cohort substantiated the predictive efficacy of these biomarkers for assessing NAFLD risk in T2DM patients.CONCLUSION This study underscores the connection between altered BA and UFA profiles and the presence of NAFLD in individuals with T2DM,proposing their potential as biomarkers in the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Changes in the terminology and diagnostic criteria of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease:Implications and opportunities

Fatty liver disease(FLD)is a highly prevalent pathological liver disorder.It has many and varied etiologies and has heterogeneous clinical course and outcome.Its proper nomenclature and classification have been problematic since its initial recognition.Traditionally,it was divided into two main categories:Alcoholassociated liver disease and nonalcoholic FLD(NAFLD).Among these,the latter condition has been plagued with nomenclature and classification issues.The two main objections to its use have been the use of negative(non-alcoholic)and stigmatizing(fatty)terms in its nomenclature.Numerous attempts were made to address these issues but none achieved universal acceptance.Just recently,NAFLD has received a new nomenclature from an international collaborative effort based on a rigorous scientific methodology.FLD has been renamed steatotic liver disease(SLD),and NAFLD as metabolic dysfunction-associated SLD.Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis was chosen as the replacement terminology for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.This is a significant positive change in the nomenclature and categorization of FLD and will likely have a major impact on research,diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of the disease in the future.

Establishment and validation of an adherence prediction system for lifestyle interventions in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is the most common liver disease worldwide,affecting about 1/4th of the global population and causing a huge global economic burden.To date,no drugs have been approved for the treatment of NAFLD,making the correction of unhealthy lifestyles the principle method of treatment.Identifying patients with poor adherence to lifestyle correction and attempting to improve their adherence are therefore very important.AIM To develop and validate a scale that can rapidly assess the adherence of patients with NAFLD to lifestyle interventions.METHODS The Exercise and Diet Adherence Scale(EDAS)was designed based on com-pilation using the Delphi method,and its reliability was subsequently evaluated.Demographic and laboratory indicators were measured,and patients completed the EDAS questionnaire at baseline and after 6 months.The efficacy of the EDAS was evaluated in the initial cohort.Subsequently,the efficacy of the EDAS was internally verified in a validation cohort.RESULTS The EDAS consisted of 33 items in six dimensions,with a total of 165 points.Total EDAS score correlated significantly with daily number of exercise and daily reduction in calorie intake(P<0.05 each),but not with overall weight loss.A total score of 116 was excellent in predicting adherence to daily reduction in calorie intake(>500 kacl/d),(sensitivity/specificity was 100.0%/75.8%),while patients score below 97 could nearly rule out the possibility of daily exercise(sensitivity/specificity was 89.5%/44.4%).Total EDAS scores≥116,97-115,and<97 points were indicative of good,average,and poor adherence,respectively,to diet and exercise recommendations.CONCLUSION The EDAS can reliably assess the adherence of patients with NAFLD to lifestyle interventions and have clinical application in this population.

Cumulative effects of excess high-normal alanine aminotransferase levels in relation to new-onset metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in China

BACKGROUND Within the normal range,elevated alanine aminotransferase(ALT)levels are associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).AIM To investigate the associations between repeated high-normal ALT measurements and the risk of new-onset MAFLD prospectively.METHODS A cohort of 3553 participants followed for four consecutive health examinations over 4 years was selected.The incidence rate,cumulative times,and equally and unequally weighted cumulative effects of excess high-normal ALT levels(ehALT)were measured.Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyse the association between the cumulative effects of ehALT and the risk of new-onset MAFLD.RESULTS A total of 83.13%of participants with MAFLD had normal ALT levels.The incidence rate of MAFLD showed a linear increasing trend in the cumulative ehALT group.Compared with those in the low-normal ALT group,the multivariate adjusted hazard ratios of the equally and unequally weighted cumulative effects of ehALT were 1.651[95%confidence interval(CI):1.199-2.273]and 1.535(95%CI:1.119-2.106)in the third quartile and 1.616(95%CI:1.162-2.246)and 1.580(95%CI:1.155-2.162)in the fourth quartile,respectively.CONCLUSION Most participants with MAFLD had normal ALT levels.Long-term high-normal ALT levels were associated with a cumulative increased risk of new-onset MAFLD.