08 May, 2011

FATTY LIVER

Fatty liver, also known as fatty liver disease (FLD), is a reversible condition where large vacuoles of triglyceride fat accumulate in liver cells via the process of steatosis (i.e. abnormal retention of lipids within a cell). Despite having multiple causes, fatty liver can be considered a single disease that occurs worldwide in those with excessive alcohol intake and those who are obese (with or without effects of insulin resistance). The condition is also associated with other diseases that influence fat metabolism. Morphologically it is difficult to distinguish alcoholic FLD from non alcoholic FLD and both show micro-vesicular and macrovesicular fatty changes at different stages.
Accumulation of fat may also be accompanied by a progressive inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), called steatohepatitis. By considering the contribution by alcohol, fatty liver may be termed alcoholic steatosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the more severe forms as alcoholic steatohepatitis (part of alcoholic liver disease) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Fatty liver is commonly associated with alcohol or metabolic syndrome (diabetes, hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia) but can also be due to any one of many causes
Metabolic causes
Abetalipoproteinemia, glycogen storage diseases, Weber-Christian disease, acute fatty liver of pregnancy, lipodystrophy
Nutritional causes
Malnutrition, total parenteral nutrition, severe weight loss, refeeding syndrome, jejuno-ileal bypass, gastric bypass, jejunal diverticulosis with bacterial overgrowth
Drugs and toxins
Amiodarone, methotrexate, diltiazem, highly active antiretroviral therapy, glucocorticoids, tamoxifen, environmental hepatotoxins (e.g., phosphorus, mushroom poisoning)
Others
Inflammatory bowel disease, HIV, Hepatitis C especially genotype 3, and Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency

5 comments :

  1. Abnormal LFT (NAFLD) is even a precursor for CAD...

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  2. Alcoholic FLD SGOT will be elevated than SGPT and Gamma GT will be elevated.
    In NAFLD SGPT will be elevated.
    In NAFLD where IR is the primary pathology the treatment is insulin sensitizers. But paradoxically most of the time we hesitate to give pio as the enzymes are elevated where actually it's indicated.

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Four stages of NAFLD are:

    Stage 1: simple fatty liver (steatosis)
    Stage 2: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
    Stage 3: fibrosis
    Stage 4: cirrhosis

    The damage caused by liver cirrhosis is irreversible. Cirrhosis progresses slowly, over many years, gradually causing your liver to stop functioning along with causing other symptoms .NAFLD can also lead to primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). This is what is known as liver failure.

    - Nutritionist Alivemeter
    https://www.alivemeter.com/

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