Diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and its active screening in risk groups

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common chronic liver disease in developed countries, where it affects up to a quarter of the population. The groups at most risk are diabetics, obese and patients with dyslipidemia, i. e. individuals with advanced metabolic syndrome, in whom the prevalence of NAFLD exceeds 50 %. Some of these patients develop inflammation, so-called steatohepatitis, and subsequent fibroproduction, which in turn can lead to liver cirrhosis with all the complications, especially liver failure, portal hypertension (ascites, esophageal varices) and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore recently great emphasis has been placed on actively searching for advanced forms of NAFLD in this population in order to identify and adequately treat these patients in a timely manner. Today, diagnostic methods are widely available and the development of effective therapies for advanced forms of NAFLD is at the forefront of research interest.