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Review
. 2023 Apr 19;24(8):7517.
doi: 10.3390/ijms24087517.

Osteosarcopenia in NAFLD/MAFLD: An Underappreciated Clinical Problem in Chronic Liver Disease

Alessandra Musio  1 , Federica Perazza  1 , Laura Leoni  1   2 , Bernardo Stefanini  1 , Elton Dajti  1 , Renata Menozzi  2 , Maria Letizia Petroni  1 , Antonio Colecchia  3 , Federico Ravaioli  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Osteosarcopenia in NAFLD/MAFLD: An Underappreciated Clinical Problem in Chronic Liver Disease

Alessandra Musio et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Chronic liver disease (CLD), including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its advanced form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), affects a significant portion of the population worldwide. NAFLD is characterised by fat accumulation in the liver, while NASH is associated with inflammation and liver damage. Osteosarcopenia, which combines muscle and bone mass loss, is an emerging clinical problem in chronic liver disease that is often underappreciated. The reductions in muscle and bone mass share several common pathophysiological pathways; insulin resistance and chronic systemic inflammation are the most crucial predisposing factors and are related to the presence and gravity of NAFLD and to the worsening of the outcome of liver disease. This article explores the relationship between osteosarcopenia and NAFLD/MAFLD, focusing on the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of this condition in patients with CLD.

Keywords: advanced chronic liver disease; chronic liver disease; cirrhosis; metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; nutrition; osteoporosis; sarcopenia; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pathophysiological mechanism and the association between osteoporosis and sarcopenia in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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