Fatty liver disease

Fatty liver disease, the most common liver disorder in the US, is a condition in which there is a buildup of fat (fatty infiltration) in the liver. This can be the result of heavy alcohol use, however when it is not associated with alcohol use, it is referred to as Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or NAFLD. NAFL in an off itself is a benign condition, however if there is liver inflammation associated with the fatty infiltration, there can be scar tissue formation long-term liver damage. Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with Insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol as well as some drugs and toxins. Often patients are diagnosed with these conditions when an ultrasound done for some other purpose demonstrates fatty infiltration of the liver or blood tests looking at liver function demonstrate some signs of inflammation. When this condition is suspected, we check for various diseases that cause chronic liver damage and often send patients to have a test called a fibroscan that can assess for scarring and inflammation in the liver in a non-invasive fashion. At this time, there is unfortunately no treatment for NASH other than weight loss. It should be noted that the weight loss should be gradual (1-2 lbs/week) as rapid weight loss can actually contribute to liver damage. We do follow our NASH patients as unfortunately this condition can progress to liver cirrhosis.