2023-08-14 08:48:06
Title: International Hepatological Societies Introduce New Terminology to Combat Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Subtitle: German Liver Day to Raise Awareness and Promote Education on Fatty Liver Diseases
Date: August 14, 2023
Written by Ilse Romahn
Experts worldwide have been sounding the alarm on the growing epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), urging for immediate action. In a unified effort to combat these conditions more effectively, several international hepatological societies have established new technical terms and diagnostic criteria.
The 24th German Liver Day, taking place on November 20, 2023, under the theme “Do you know your liver values?”, aims to support the fight against NAFLD by dedicating a day of action to raise awareness and provide crucial information about the new terminology. The event is organized by the Gastro-Liga e.V., Deutsche Leberhilfe e.V., and the German Liver Foundation.
During the recent congress of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), several international hepatological societies agreed on adopting a more precise and patient-centric nomenclature for fatty liver diseases. These newly published technical terms aim to replace stigmatizing terms such as NAFLD and introduce more accurate diagnoses.
Professor Dr. Peter R. Galle, the director of the First Medical Clinic and Polyclinic of University Medicine at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, explains the significance of the new technical terms and diagnostic criteria. Among the new terms is “steatotic liver disease” (SLD), which encompasses all fatty liver diseases regardless of their cause. What was previously known as NAFLD will now be referred to as “Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease” (MASLD), signifying the link between metabolic dysfunction and fatty liver disease. Diagnostic criteria for MASLD have already been defined, which includes a patient with hepatic steatosis having at least one of five cardiometabolic risk factors.
The prevalence of fatty liver disease is alarmingly high, with an estimated 115 million people worldwide affected, a number projected to rise to 357 million by 2030, according to the Global Liver Institute (GLI). In Germany, approximately 23 percent of the population is estimated to have fatty liver disease, and four percent suffer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), previously referred to as NASH. Specifically, around 18 million Germans are affected by fatty liver.
One concerning aspect of MASH is the potential development of liver cell carcinoma (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC) even before cirrhosis is present. Until now, lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet, exercise, obesity reduction, and diabetes management have been the only effective therapy for MASLD. Early diagnosis is crucial, as it enables patients to successfully counteract the disease through lifestyle changes.
The renaming and categorization of fatty liver disease as SLD provides an opportune moment to increase awareness, improve diagnosis precision, and, subsequently, refer patients to appropriate monitoring at an earlier stage. The newly introduced term, MASLD, highlights the close connection between metabolic and hepatic factors, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary care from hepatologists and metabolism specialists.
By adopting these new terminologies and raising awareness through German Liver Day and other initiatives, stakeholders hope to enhance efforts in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of fatty liver diseases, ultimately reducing their global burden.
For more information, please visit www.lebertag.org.]
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