Identifying Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Primary Care: How and for What Benefit?

ABSTRACT: Despite its increasing prevalence, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains under-diagnosed in primary care. Timely diagnosis is critical, as NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death; furthermore, NAFLD is also a risk factor linked to cardiometabolic outcomes. Identifying patients with NAFLD, and particularly those at risk of advanced fibrosis, is important so that healthcare practitioners can optimize care delivery in an effort to prevent disease progression. This review debates the practical issues that primary care physicians encounter when managing NAFLD, using a patient case study to illustrate the challenges and decisions that physicians face. It explores the pros and cons of different diagnostic strategies a

SUBMITTER: Schreiner AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10298910 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature