Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a review

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is an umbrella term that includes steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. The terminology, although cumbersome, was intended to differentiate these disorders from alcohol-related liver disorders, as they are histologically similar. The term was first used by Ludwig in 1980, but has received a tremendous amount of attention in the past several years as a result of a better understanding of the scope of the problem. Although the pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, there is a tremendous amount of research ongoing in this arena, both clinical and basic, to determine how the course of the disease can be altered. This text reviews the epidemiology of the disease, leading theories of pathogenesis, and treatment options.