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<\/div>\nAn international consensus panel led by researchers from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) has highlighted the need to redefine Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and to name it Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD). Researchers highlighted that the new terminology will better reflect its causes, and improve public health initiatives.<\/p>\n
MAFLD is a condition characterised by a build-up of fat in the liver and affects over one billion people. Over time, this can lead to complications including cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, and heart health issues. The consensus panel found that both the term \u2018NAFLD\u2019 and its diagnostic criteria must be updated in order to better reflect our current understanding of the disease.<\/p>\n
Associate Professor Mohammed Eslam, co-lead author of the paper said, \u201cSince it was first described in 1980, we haven\u2019t revisited the appropriateness of the name, or the criteria used to diagnose fatty liver disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy updating terminology and definitions, we can shift towards more precise and personalised<\/p>\n treatment pathways, trial design and drug development.\u201d<\/p>\n Professor Jacob George, co-lead author of the paper said, \u201cInitially, the disease was defined as fatty liver in the absence of significant alcohol intake. This definition was problematic and has resulted in a \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 approach to treatment, despite the significant variation we see in people affected by the disease.<\/p>\n \u201cThis may be one of the reasons why we are seeing relatively low response rates in our current trials.<\/p>\n \u201cThe proposed name and definition recognises that the disease we are looking at is associated with metabolic dysfunction. It also acknowledges that there are multiple overlapping causes and drivers of the disease.\u201d<\/p>\n Researchers are now conducting further studies to characterise the different sub-types and causes of MAFLD to help design new clinical trials, and best practices for patient management.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, we hope that by strengthening the diagnostic criteria and language surrounding MAFLD, we can help reduce the progression of the disease, and reduce the number of people affected worldwide,\u201d Professor George concluded.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Jacob-George-and-Mohammed-Eslam.jpg\")