Fatty Liver, NAFLD and NASH
What is Fatty Liver?
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) refers to a spectrum of liver abnormalities/disease ranging from the relatively harmless fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to cirrhosis. The common factor is that all of these stages have an accumulation of fat in the liver cells.
Fatty liver is a reversible condition without the potential to lead to cirrhosis. It is characterized by the deposit of fat particles (triglycerides) in the cells of the liver and can be caused by a variety of factors.
When fatty liver is accompanied by varying degrees of inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) of the liver, it is known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH. Unlike a fatty liver, NASH is not considered relatively harmless. Instead, NASH is considered a liver disease with the potential to cause cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure. When inflammation occurs, the liver doesn’t work efficiently and liver cells can be destroyed. This can lead to scarring of the liver. When the scarring is more advanced and irreversible, it is called cirrhosis. Only a small portion of people with fatty liver will develop NASH.
References
Mendler, MD, Michel, “Fatty Liver: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)” http://www.medicinenet.com/fatty_liver/article.htm. Retrieved on October 7, 2010.
Palmer, MD, Melissa. Dr. Melissa Palmer’s Guide to Hepatitis & Liver Disease. New York: Avery Trade, 2004.
WebMD. "Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) - Overview ” http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/nonalcoholic-steatohepatitis-nash-overview. Retrieved on October 7, 2010.
WebMD. "Fatty Liver Disease” http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/fatty-liver-disease. Retrieved October 7, 2010.