Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Metabolic Syndrome / 대한소아내분비학회지

ABSTRACT

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease, represents a spectrum of disease including steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and irreversible cirrhosis. Although a "benign" condition, NAFLD is a risk factor eventually leading to fibrosis and to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A number of evidences support an association between NAFLD/NASH and metabolic syndrome. The pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH and metabolic syndrome seems to have common pathophysiological mechanisms, with focus on insulin resistance as a key factor. This review discusses the new aspects of NAFLD/NASH pathogenesis, and anticipate that such knowledge will eventually serve to the deveolpment of novel treatment strategies for this disease.