Treatment regimens for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

With the growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes, more attention has been placed on metabolic syndrome and its associated hepatic manifestation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Within the spectrum of clinico-pathologic conditions known as NAFLD, only a minority of patients has the histological features characteristic of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which has the potential to progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, diagnosis and therapy should target patients with NASH. Current treatment recommendations include weight loss and the reversal of other components of metabolic syndrome, but several other treatment modalities are under investigation. To date, no pharmacologic treatment has been reliably shown to be effective for NASH. This article reviews all available treatment modalities, including lifestyle changes, bariatric surgery, weight loss medications, insulin sensitizers, lipid lowering agents, antioxidants, cytoprotective agents, and other novel treatments.