NAFLD Flashcards
1
Q
what is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
A
- excess fat within the liver (e.g. hepatic steatosis)
- > 5% of hepatocytes
2
Q
which conditions are encompassed by the term NAFLD?
A
- non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL)
- non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
- fibrosis
- cirrhosis
3
Q
what is the metabolic syndrome and how is it related to NAFLD?
A
is a group of risk factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and are also associated with NAFLD. these include:
- abdominal obesity
- hypertension
- impaired fasting glucose, or treated for type 2 diabetes
- high triglycerides
- low HDL cholesterol
4
Q
how does insulin resistance contribute to the development of NAFLD?
A
- it promotes increased breakdown of peripheral adipose tissue (i.e. lipolysis), increased synthesis of triglycerides + increased uptake of fatty acids
- this contributes to the accumulation of toxic lipids within the liver and development of hepatic steatosis
5
Q
what genetic mutations are associated with NAFLD?
A
PNPLA3
TM6SF2
6
Q
what are the investigations for NAFLD?
A
- US
- LFTs
- ‘liver screen’
7
Q
how many grams of ethanol are in 1 unit of alcohol?
A
8g
