Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Flashcards
What is NAFLD? (3 things)
- Increased fat in hepatocytes (steatosis)
- Fat is visualized (e.g on US)
- Fat can’t be assoc w other causes (e.g alcohol)
When should you consider that liver disease is NOT caused by alcohol? (male n female)
Male = drinks less than 18 units / wk Female = drinks less than 9 units / wk
What is NAFLD characterized by?
Fat deposited in liver cells
What problems does NAFLD cause? (2 things)
- Nothing initially
2. Progresses to hepatitis + cirrhosis
What are the stages of NAFLD? (4 things)
- NAFLD
- Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
- Fibrosis
- Cirrhosis
What are the risk factors for NAFLD? (8 things)
- Middle age +
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Poor diet / low activity
- Type 2 DM
- HTN
- High cholesterol
- Metabolic Syndrome
What does it mean when you got NAFLD with inflammation (high ALT in LFT)?
Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
What processes lead to lipid accum in liver? (4 things)
- Increased fat supply (high fat diet + adipose lipolysis)
- Decreased fat export (reduced VLDL sec)
- Decreased free F.A oxidation
- Increased de novo lipogenesis
What are the pathophysiological steps of NAFLD? (4 steps)
- Processes –> lipid accum (bc risk factors)
- Increased Triglyceride synth. + Increased Hepatic uptake of F.A
- Free F.A + byproducts damage hepatocytes by oxidative stress –> lipotoxicity (cellular injury + death)
- Injured + dying cell induce immune response (inflamm cytokines + cells) –> to repair + replace hepatocytes
What are the CF of NAFLD? (4 things)
- Often asymptomatic
- Fatigue / malaise
- RUQ discomfort
- Hepatomegaly
What are the incidental findings of NAFLD? (aka stuff youll see randomly when ur not even looking for NAFLD) (2 things)
- Abn LFT
2. Hepatic stenosis @ US
What are the CF when NAFLD progresses to Cirrhosis? (4 things)
- Spider naevi
- Palmar erythema (red palms)
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Ascites
What are the risk factors for progression of NAFLD to Cirrhosis? (4 things)
- Age
- Obesity
- DM
- NASH
What is the best diagnostic test for NAFLD that is RARELY done?
Liver biopsy (only done if diagnosis is unclear)
What is the use of liver biopsy in NAFLD? (2 things)
- Distinguishes NAFLD from NASH
2. Detects cirrhosis