[NAFLD renaming to MAFLD, MASLD: background, similarities, differences, and countermeasures]

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Metabolic Diseases
• Liver Injury

Context:

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic liver condition linked to metabolic dysfunction.
• Increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome have highlighted limitations in NAFLD's diagnostic criteria and terminology.
• The current understanding of NAFLD necessitates a re-evaluation of its classification and nomenclature.

Purpose:

• To review the historical naming of NAFLD.
• To introduce and explain the proposed new terms: metabolism-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and metabolism-associated steatosis liver disease (MASLD).
• To discuss the similarities, differences, and ongoing disputes surrounding these terms.

Summary:

• NAFLD, a major cause of chronic liver disease globally, faces challenges due to its diagnostic criteria and stigmatizing name.
• International consensus groups and hepatology societies propose renaming it MAFLD or MASLD to better reflect its metabolic origins.
• The paper examines the rationale, implications, and strategic responses to this proposed nomenclature shift.

Impact:

• Facilitates a more accurate understanding of fatty liver disease as a metabolic disorder.
• Aims to reduce stigma associated with liver disease diagnoses.
• Provides insights into the evolving landscape of liver disease classification and management strategies.