TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-invasive assessment of fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
AU - Vizzutti, Francesco
AU - Arena, Umberto
AU - Nobili, Valerio
AU - Tarquini, Roberto
AU - Trappoliere, Marco
AU - Laffi, Giacomo
AU - Marra, Fabio
AU - Pinzani, Massimo
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in Western countries, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. It currently affects approximately 30% of adults and 10% of children and adolescents. The resulting increase in the number of patients with NAFLD is expected to translate into increased numbers of patients with liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this context, it is particularly important to identify patients at risk for progressive chronic liver disease. Currently, liver biopsy is the gold standard to diagnose non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and to establish the presence and stage of fibrosis. Due to the remarkable increase in the prevalence of NAFLD and the concomitant efforts in developing novel therapies for patients with NASH, non-invasive, simple, reproducible, and reliable noninvasive methodologies are needed. This paper provides a concise overview of the role of non-invasive diagnostic tools for the determination of presence and extent of fibrosis in NAFLD patients, with particular emphasis on the methods currently available in clinical practice.
AB - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in Western countries, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. It currently affects approximately 30% of adults and 10% of children and adolescents. The resulting increase in the number of patients with NAFLD is expected to translate into increased numbers of patients with liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this context, it is particularly important to identify patients at risk for progressive chronic liver disease. Currently, liver biopsy is the gold standard to diagnose non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and to establish the presence and stage of fibrosis. Due to the remarkable increase in the prevalence of NAFLD and the concomitant efforts in developing novel therapies for patients with NASH, non-invasive, simple, reproducible, and reliable noninvasive methodologies are needed. This paper provides a concise overview of the role of non-invasive diagnostic tools for the determination of presence and extent of fibrosis in NAFLD patients, with particular emphasis on the methods currently available in clinical practice.
KW - Fibrosis
KW - NAFLD
KW - NASH
KW - Non-invasive
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M3 - Article
C2 - 19502649
AN - SCOPUS:67650558987
VL - 8
SP - 89
EP - 94
JO - Annals of Hepatology
JF - Annals of Hepatology
SN - 1665-2681
IS - 2
ER -