Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and has become the most common form of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents. The histologic spectrum of NAFLD is broad ranging, from the relatively benign form of simple steatosis to the aggressive form of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, eventually leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis. NAFLD has also been recognized as an independent risk factor for extrahepatic complications, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep disorders, and osteoporosis. In this review, we discuss both the hepatic and extrahepatic complications of NAFLD in children.

Source: Pediatric Clinics of North America - May 12, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Praveen Kumar Conjeevaram Selvakumar, Mohammad Nasser Kabbany, Valerio Nobili, Naim Alkhouri Source Type: research