Redefining non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to metabolic associated fatty liver disease: Is this plausible?

Jalpa Devi; Aimun Raees; Amna Subhan Butt

doi:10.4254/wjh.v14.i1.158

Redefining non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to metabolic associated fatty liver disease: Is this plausible?

World J Hepatol. 2022 Jan 27;14(1):158-167. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i1.158.

Authors

Jalpa Devi¹, Aimun Raees², Amna Subhan Butt³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro 74800, Pakistan.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
³ Department of Gastroenterology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan. amna.subhan@aku.edu.

Abstract

Recently, a single letter change has taken the world by storm. A group of experts have developed a consensus to upgrade the term non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), suggesting that MAFLD would more accurately reflect not only the disease pathogenesis but would also help in patient stratification for management with NAFLD. However, the difference of opinion exists, which has made the NAFLD vs MAFLD debate the current talk of the town. This review will focus on the plausibility and implications of redefining NAFLD as MAFLD.

Keywords: Fatty liver disease; Metabolic associated fatty liver disease; Non-alcoholic fatty liver; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Review.

Publication types

Review