The impact of stigma on quality of life and liver disease burden among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) face a multifaceted disease burden which includes impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL) and potential stigmatization. We aimed to assess the burden of liver disease in patients with NAFLD and the relationship between experience of stigma and HRQL.

Methods: Members of the Global NASH Council created a survey about disease burden in NAFLD.

Global survey of stigma among physicians and patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Patients with fatty liver disease may experience stigma from the disease or comorbidities. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to understand stigma among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and healthcare providers.

Methods: Members of the Global NASH Council created two surveys about experiences/attitudes toward NAFLD and related diagnostic terms: a 68-item patient and a 41-item provider survey.

Predictors and Outcomes of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients with Liver Injury.

Objective: To determine incidence, predictors, and impact of liver injury among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital. Liver injury (LI) was defined as ALT elevation above institutional cut-off (>50 u/L) and was classified as mild (>1x to 3x ULN), moderate (>3x to 5x ULN), or severe (>5x ULN).

Liver diseases: Perspective from the Philippines.

Liver diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. In the Philippines, a lower middle-income country in Southeast Asia, liver diseases accounted for 27.3 cases per 1000 deaths.

Severe impairment of patient-reported outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection seen in real-world practices across the world: Data from the global liver registry.

Cure of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) can lead to improvement of health-related quality of life and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs). While extensive PRO data for CHC patients who were enrolled in clinical trials are available, similar data for patients seen in real-world practices are scarce. Our aim was to assess PROs of CHC patients enrolled from real-world practices from different regions and to compare them with those enrolled in clinical trials.

Contextual and individual factors associated with knowledge, awareness and attitude on liver diseases: A large-scale Asian study.

There are limited data to provide better understanding of the knowledge/awareness of general population towards liver health in Asia. We sought to identify the knowledge gaps and attitudes towards liver health and liver diseases as well as evaluate associated individual-level and macro-level factors based on contextual analysis. An online survey assessing knowledge, awareness and attitudes towards liver health and disease was conducted among 7500 respondents across 11 countries/territories in Asia.

Clinical and Patient-Reported Outcomes From Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Across the World: Data From the Global Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)/ Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Registry.

Background & Aims: Globally, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of chronic liver disease. We assessed the clinical presentation and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) among NAFLD patients from different countries.

Methods: Clinical, laboratory, and PRO data (Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH], Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, and the Work Productivity and Activity Index) were collected from NAFLD patients seen in real-world practices and enrolled in the Global NAFLD/NASH Registry encompassing 18 countries in 6 global burden of disease super-regions.

The Impact of NASH to Liver Transplantations With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. It is believed that about one fourth of the world population may have NAFLD. The Global Burden of Disease data suggest that NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are the main drivers of liver disease burden in most regions of the world, including that of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Dietary Risks for Liver Mortality in NAFLD: Global Burden of Disease Data.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common but complex chronic liver disease, driven by environmental and genetic factors. We assessed metabolic and dietary risk factor associations with NAFLD liver mortality using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 data. NAFLD liver deaths were calculated (per 100,000) as age-standardized rates (ASRs) from 195 countries and territories (21 GBD regions; 7 GBD superregions).

A Global Survey of Physicians Knowledge About Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Background & Aims: Despite rapidly increasing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevalence, providers' knowledge may be limited. We assessed NAFLD knowledge and associated factors among physicians of different specialties globally.

Methods: NAFLD knowledge surveys containing 54 and 59 questions covering 3 domains (epidemiology/pathogenesis, diagnostics, and treatment) were completed electronically by hepatologists, gastroenterologists (GEs), endocrinologists (ENDOs), and primary care physicians (PCPs) from 40 countries comprising 5 Global Burden of Disease super-regions.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: extrahepatic manifestations in chronic hepatitis C virus-infected patients in East Asia.

Background: Although the prevalence of extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been reported from Western countries, their prevalence in East Asian countries is not well known.

Aim: To perform a systematic review to quantify the prevalence of selected extrahepatic manifestations of HCV among patients from East Asia.

Methods: Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane and country-specific databases were reviewed according to standard guidelines for meta-analyses.

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Is the Fastest Growing Cause of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Liver Transplant Candidates.

Background & Aims: Although hepatitis B and C have been the main drivers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has recently become an important cause of HCC. The aim of this study was to assess the causes of HCC among liver transplant (LT) candidates in the United States.

Methods: The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (2002-2016) was used to estimate the trends in prevalence of HCC in LT candidates with the most common types of chronic liver disease: alcoholic liver disease (ALD), chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C, and NASH.

Chronic hepatitis B virus in the Philippines.

Multiple studies have shown a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection in the Philippines, not only in high-risk populations but also in the general population. The most recent national study estimated HBsAg seroprevalence to be 16.7%, corresponding to an estimated 7.

Hepatitis B infection among adults in the philippines: A national seroprevalence study.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity among adult Filipinos.

Methods: Testing for HBsAg was performed on serum samples from persons aged ≥ 20 years old who participated in the National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHeS) conducted in 2003. Information on age, sex, marital status, educational attainment, employment status, and income were collected.

Oral L-ornithine-L-aspartate improves health-related quality of life in cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy: an open-label, prospective, multicentre observational study.

Background And Objective: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious complication of cirrhosis. Clinical trials have consistently shown that L-ornithine-L-aspartate significantly improves HE symptoms. Health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) is impaired in HE patients and represents an important outcome measure for therapeutic intervention.

Increased overall mortality and liver-related mortality in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background/aims: The natural history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains to be defined. We conducted a study to determine the overall and liver-related mortality of NAFLD in the general US population.

Methods: In this study, the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and NHANES III-Linked Mortality File were used.

Ursodeoxycholic acid in the prevention of gallstone formation after bariatric surgery: a meta-analysis.

Background: Rapid weight loss increases risk for gallstone formation. Prophylactic cholecystectomy is difficult. Several small trials have shown that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) may prevent gallstone formation after bariatric surgery.

Epidemiology and natural history of NAFLD and NASH.

Understanding of the epidemiology and natural history of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased; it is the most common form of chronic liver disease in the Western world and increasing in importance in other parts of the world. Prevalence is expected to increase as obesity and diabetes epidemics evolve. The natural history of NAFLD depends on the histologic subtype.

Anger experiences among hepatitis C patients: relationship to depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life.

The authors examined anger among hepatitis C (HCV) patients and its relationship to health-related quality of life (HRQL) and depression. Eighty-seven HCV patients who received pegylated interferon-alpha(2b) and ribavirin were included. Patients' mean age was 48 years; 42% were women, and 60% were white.

Gene expression of leptin, resistin, and adiponectin in the white adipose tissue of obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.

Background: Adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes a variety of metabolically important substances including adipokines. These factors affect insulin sensitivity and may represent a link between obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (DM), and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study uses real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) quantification of mRNAs encoding adiponectin, leptin, and resistin on snap-frozen samples of intra-abdominal adipose tissue of morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Depression, anemia and health-related quality of life in chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: Hepatitis C (HCV) infected patients have significant health-related quality of life (HRQL) impairment which worsens during anti-viral therapy. Our aim was to examine the association of HRQL with treatment-induced depression and anemia.

Methods: Two hundred and seventy-one HCV patients who received pegylated interferon alfa 2b and ribavirin were included.