Modifiers of Liver-Related Manifestation in the Course of NAFLD

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease affecting approximately 25% of the global population. There is a strong association between the severity, of NAFLD and the components of the metabolic syndrome. NAFLD is also independently associated with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The progressive potential of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is indisputable today, and the histological spectrum of NAFLD ranges from isolated steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with risk of developing :fibrosis and subsequent cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. There is a substantial inter-patient variation in disease progression, therefore, this review will focus on potential modifiers of fibrosis progression, development of liver cirrhosis, decompensation and liver-related mortality. The potential drivers of disease progression that is discussed are; T2DM and Insulin Resistance, body weight, alcohol consumption, genetics (including HFE and alfa-1-antitrypsin) as well as histological features predictive of disease progression