TY - JOUR
T1 - Expert opinion on current therapies for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
AU - Della Corte, Claudia
AU - Alisi, Anna
AU - Iorio, Raffaele
AU - Alterio, Arianna
AU - Nobili, Valerio
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly becoming one of most common liver diseases in industrialized countries owing to the increasing prevalence of obesity and being overweight. Until now, loss of weight and physical activity have represented the cornerstone of treatment, but they are very difficult to achieve and to maintain. Therefore, new treatments based on pathogenetic mechanisms leading to NAFLD are under evaluation to establish an effective pharmacological therapy for this disorder. Areas covered: An overview of current therapeutic interventions to treat NAFLD is given. This review provides evidence of the efficacy of natural and pharmacological agents used so far in the treatment of both adult and pediatric NAFLD, on the basis of clinical trials published in the last 10 years. Expert opinion: In the last 10 years, many pharmacological agents on the basis of the pathogenetic mechanism of NAFLD have been attempted, but so far guidelines for the management of NAFLD are lacking. We believe that the advance in the understanding of pathogenesis and factors involved in the progression of the disease may disclose the way to defining new, solid, therapeutic strategies. A multidisciplinary approach considering the risk factors and comorbidities of fatty liver will represent in the future a successful therapeutic strategy for NAFLD.
AB - Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly becoming one of most common liver diseases in industrialized countries owing to the increasing prevalence of obesity and being overweight. Until now, loss of weight and physical activity have represented the cornerstone of treatment, but they are very difficult to achieve and to maintain. Therefore, new treatments based on pathogenetic mechanisms leading to NAFLD are under evaluation to establish an effective pharmacological therapy for this disorder. Areas covered: An overview of current therapeutic interventions to treat NAFLD is given. This review provides evidence of the efficacy of natural and pharmacological agents used so far in the treatment of both adult and pediatric NAFLD, on the basis of clinical trials published in the last 10 years. Expert opinion: In the last 10 years, many pharmacological agents on the basis of the pathogenetic mechanism of NAFLD have been attempted, but so far guidelines for the management of NAFLD are lacking. We believe that the advance in the understanding of pathogenesis and factors involved in the progression of the disease may disclose the way to defining new, solid, therapeutic strategies. A multidisciplinary approach considering the risk factors and comorbidities of fatty liver will represent in the future a successful therapeutic strategy for NAFLD.
KW - Children
KW - Metabolic syndrome
KW - NAFLD
KW - Steatohepatitis
KW - Steatosis
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U2 - 10.1517/14656566.2011.587123
DO - 10.1517/14656566.2011.587123
M3 - Article
C2 - 21639814
AN - SCOPUS:79960468113
VL - 12
SP - 1901
EP - 1911
JO - Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
JF - Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
SN - 1465-6566
IS - 12
ER -