Correlation between Plasma Osteopontin Level and Severity of Hepatic Fibrosis in Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Nermeen Mohamed Abd Elkerim Soliman;
Abstract
Accumulation of fat in the liver (fatty liver) is common to all stages of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The initial stage in the spectrum of NAFLD is simple fatty liver (steatosis) (Fan et al., 2005).
Simple fatty liver is in itself quite harmless, disappears rapidly with weight loss, and only a minority of those affected progress to NASH, which is the next stage of NAFLD (Zafrani, 2004).
Along with the accumulation of liver fat, NASH involves inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), destruction (necrosis) of liver cells, and scarring (fibrosis) of the liver. It can progress to severe liver disease, including cirrhosis, which is the last stage of NAFLD (Bugianesi et al., 2002).
The risk factors, the time-line, and the processes (mechanisms) responsible for progression through the stages of NAFLD are still unknown.
The basic cause of NAFLD is insulin resistance, which is a biochemical state that diminishes the effects of insulin. The most frequent risk factor for insulin resistance is obesity, especially abdominal obesity (Bedogni et al., 2005).
Estimates of the number of cases of NAFLD among the obese and patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) suggest that 90% have simple fatty liver, 20% have NASH, and 10% have cirrhosis. Among those with cirrhosis, primary liver cancer develops at a rate of approximately 1% to 2% per year (Sleisenger and Marvin, 2006).
The presumptive diagnosis of NAFLD or NASH is made in individuals who are insulin resistant, have mildly elevated liver enzymes (transaminases) in the blood, and have signs of fatty liver on an ultrasound. These patients will have no other known cause for these enzyme elevations or for the fatty liver, particularly no significant alcohol use (Gramlich et al., 2004).
If weight loss results in a decrease or normalization of the liver enzymes, the diagnosis of NAFLD is practically assured. Only a liver biopsy, however, can confirm the diagnosis of NAFLD and NASH and determine the severity of the disease.
Simple fatty liver is in itself quite harmless, disappears rapidly with weight loss, and only a minority of those affected progress to NASH, which is the next stage of NAFLD (Zafrani, 2004).
Along with the accumulation of liver fat, NASH involves inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), destruction (necrosis) of liver cells, and scarring (fibrosis) of the liver. It can progress to severe liver disease, including cirrhosis, which is the last stage of NAFLD (Bugianesi et al., 2002).
The risk factors, the time-line, and the processes (mechanisms) responsible for progression through the stages of NAFLD are still unknown.
The basic cause of NAFLD is insulin resistance, which is a biochemical state that diminishes the effects of insulin. The most frequent risk factor for insulin resistance is obesity, especially abdominal obesity (Bedogni et al., 2005).
Estimates of the number of cases of NAFLD among the obese and patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) suggest that 90% have simple fatty liver, 20% have NASH, and 10% have cirrhosis. Among those with cirrhosis, primary liver cancer develops at a rate of approximately 1% to 2% per year (Sleisenger and Marvin, 2006).
The presumptive diagnosis of NAFLD or NASH is made in individuals who are insulin resistant, have mildly elevated liver enzymes (transaminases) in the blood, and have signs of fatty liver on an ultrasound. These patients will have no other known cause for these enzyme elevations or for the fatty liver, particularly no significant alcohol use (Gramlich et al., 2004).
If weight loss results in a decrease or normalization of the liver enzymes, the diagnosis of NAFLD is practically assured. Only a liver biopsy, however, can confirm the diagnosis of NAFLD and NASH and determine the severity of the disease.
Other data
| Title | Correlation between Plasma Osteopontin Level and Severity of Hepatic Fibrosis in Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease | Other Titles | العلاقة بين مستوى الأستيوبونتين فى البلازما وشدة التليف الكبدى فى حالات التشمع الكبدى الغير كحولى | Authors | Nermeen Mohamed Abd Elkerim Soliman | Issue Date | 2014 |
Recommend this item
Similar Items from Core Recommender Database
Items in Ain Shams Scholar are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.