Gender Differences in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Aabha Nagral; Manisha Bangar; Sherna Menezes; Shobna Bhatia; Nazish Butt; Jhumur Ghosh; Jayani Harshika Manchanayake; Mamun Al Mahtab; Shivaram Prasad Singh

doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1370

Gender Differences in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2022 Jul;12(Suppl 1):S19-S25. doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1370.

Authors

Aabha Nagral¹, Manisha Bangar², Sherna Menezes³, Shobna Bhatia⁴, Nazish Butt⁵, Jhumur Ghosh⁶, Jayani Harshika Manchanayake⁷, Mamun Al Mahtab⁸, Shivaram Prasad Singh⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India; Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
² Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Century Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
³ Department of Gastroenterology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
⁴ Department of Gastroenterology, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
⁵ Department of Gastroenterology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁶ Department of Hepatology, MH Samorita Hospital and Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁷ Department of Gastroenterology, National Hospital Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
⁸ Department of Hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁹ Department of Gastroenterology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, Odisha, India.

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has currently emerged as the most common liver disorder in both developed and developing countries. It has been observed that NAFLD exhibits sexual dimorphism, and there is limited understanding on the sex differences in adults with NAFLD. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease shows marked differences in prevalence and severity with regards to gender. There are considerable biological disparities between males and females attributed to differences in the chromosomal makeup and sex hormone levels, distinct from the gender differences resulting from the sociocultural influences that lead to differences in lifestyle, which have a significant impact on the pathogenesis of this complex disorder. A multitude of factors contributes to the gender disparities seen and need to be researched in-depth to better understand the mechanisms behind them and the therapeutic measures that can be taken. In this article, we will review the gender disparities seen in NAFLD, as well as recent studies highlighting certain gender-specific factors contributing to its varying prevalence and severity.

How to cite this article: Nagral A, Bangar M, Menezes S, et al. Gender Differences in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2022;12(Suppl 1):S19-S25.

Keywords: Fibrosis; Gender; Gender difference; Liver cancer; Menopause; Metabolic syndrome; Molecular pathogenesis; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; Prevalence; Sex hormones.

Publication types

Review