Progression and Natural History of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adults

Liver-related mortality is the third cause of death in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but the long-term prognosis basically depends on the presence and severity of liver damage. Thus, life expectancy in patients with simple steatosis is not different from the general population, but liver-related mortality is significantly higher in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), particularly in those with advanced fibrosis. Progression of liver disease is observed in up to one-third of patients with NASH. The long-term hepatic prognosis mostly depends on the histologic stage at initial liver biopsy, but multiple risk factors may concur.