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Update on Pediatric Fatty Liver Disease

  • Fatty Liver Disease (Z Younossi, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Hepatology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the USA, affecting over 7 million children. In this article, we provide an update on pediatric NAFLD by briefly reviewing the recent publications in diagnosis, screening, therapy, and follow-up.

Recent Findings

NAFLD remains a diagnosis of exclusion and liver biopsy is the most accurate test to assess severity of the disease in children. There is a growing collection of studies testing noninvasive tests for hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, several of which have become available in more recent years, such as fibrosis scores, imaging and serum biomarkers. The mainstay of NAFLD treatment remains weight loss through dietary modifications and exercise. There is substantial interest in pharmacological therapies for NAFLD given the frequent failure of lifestyle and behavior modification to resolve the disease. Certain medications of interest target mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD such as insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and dyslipidemia.

Summary

Research within the field of NAFLD has advanced substantially, yet critical gaps remain including lack of accurate noninvasive tests for NAFLD, effective prevention, and treatment.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Emory-Children’s Center, 2015 Uppergate Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Sylvia Doan, Barbara J. Niklinska-Schirtz & Miriam B. Vos

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  1. Sylvia Doan
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  2. Barbara J. Niklinska-Schirtz
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  3. Miriam B. Vos
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Correspondence to Sylvia Doan.

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Conflict of Interest

Miriam B. Vos reports personal fees and non-financial support from AMRA, grants from Immuron, personal fees from Intercept, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, personal fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, personal fees from Shire, grants from Gemphire, grants from Resonance Health, grants and personal fees from Target Pharmasolutions, and personal fees from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, outside the submitted work. Sylvia Doan and Barbara J. Niklinska-Schirtz each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Fatty Liver Disease

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Doan, S., Niklinska-Schirtz, B.J. & Vos, M.B. Update on Pediatric Fatty Liver Disease. Curr Hepatology Rep 17, 361–366 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-018-0427-5

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