Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common liver problem wherein there are fat deposits in the organ accompanied by inflammation and damage to liver tissues. It may resemble alcoholic liver disease—a condition affecting long-term alcohol drinkers. However, NASH affects people who are occasional drinkers or those who don’t drink alcohol at all.
Many people have buildup of fat in their liver, yet don’t know it. However, many do not develop symptoms or have no problems. In some, it may cause inflammation that affects normal functioning of the liver.
In some people with the condition it can get worse over time, leading to scarring of the liver—a condition called cirrhosis.
Causes
Experts are not yet sure what causes nonalcoholoic steatohepatitis. Some people who are middle-aged and overweight or obese, have high blood cholesterol, or have diabetes may be at risk of developing the disease. However, not all people who are overweight or diabetic eventually develop NASH.
For some reason, children may be affected with the condition with no apparent risk factor.
Symptoms
Early stages of the disease do not cause any symptom or problem. For this reason, the condition is sometimes referred to as a “silent liver disease.”
As the disease progresses, normal tissues of the liver starts to be replaced by scar tissues that do not function the same as the normal ones, thereby, causing symptoms including:
- fatigue
- weight loss, and
- weakness
Progression of the condition is not immediate, which usually take years or even decades. For some reason, in some cases, the process stops and reverses on its own even without specific therapy.
It should be noted that not all people with NASH develop liver cirrhosis. However, once scarring has developed, it may be difficult to halt its progression. If most of the liver is replaced by scar tissue, it can not be able to compensate for the needs of the body leading to liver failure. Liver transplantation is the only treatment option for advanced cirrhosis with liver failure.
Treatment
Because the cause of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is not fully understood, no specific treatment intervention has been developed. However, there are general recommendations for people with the condition that they can follow, such as:
- reducing their weight (if obese or overweight)
- following a balanced and healthy diet
- increasing physical activity and regular exercise
- avoiding alcohol
- avoiding unnecessary medications
Although, those mentioned above are standard recommendations for NASH patients, they may also be able to help in preventing or controlling conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood cholesterol.
References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) (November 2006). Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NIH Publication No. 07–4921). Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/nash/index.htm. Accessed on August 28, 2010.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) (December 2008). Cirrhosis (NIH Publication No. 09–1134). Available at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed on August 28, 2010.
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