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Review
. 2006 May;82(967):315-22.
doi: 10.1136/pgmj.2005.042200.

Treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

L A Adams  1 , P Angulo
Affiliations
Review

Treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

L A Adams et al. Postgrad Med J. 2006 May.

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common and may progress to cirrhosis and its complications. The pathogenesis of steatosis and cellular injury is thought to be related mostly to insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Therefore, management entails identification and treatment of metabolic risk factors, improving insulin sensitivity, and increasing antioxidant defences in the liver. Weight loss and exercise improve insulin sensitivity. Bariatric surgery may improve liver histology in patients with morbid obesity. Insulin sensitising drugs showed promise in pilot trials as have a number of hepatoprotective agents. Further randomised, well controlled trials are required to determine the efficacy of these drugs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: none declared.

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