Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A patient guideline
Sven M. Francque,
Giulio Marchesini,
Achim Kautz,
Martine Walmsley,
Rebecca Dorner,
Jeffrey V. Lazarus,
Shira Zelber-Sagi,
Kate Hallsworth,
Luca Busetto,
Gema Frühbeck,
Dror Dicker,
Euan Woodward,
Marko Korenjak,
José Willemse,
Gerardus H. Koek,
Shlomo Vinker,
Mehmet Ungan,
Juan M. Mendive,
Christos Lionis
Affiliations
Sven M. Francque
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Paediatrics (LEMP), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; InflaMed Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Translational Sciences in Inflammation and Immunology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Corresponding author: Address: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
Giulio Marchesini
IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Alma Mater” University, Bologna, Italy
Achim Kautz
Kautz5 gUG, Cologne, Germany
Martine Walmsley
PSC Support, Oxford, United Kingdom
Rebecca Dorner
Kautz5 gUG, Cologne, Germany
Jeffrey V. Lazarus
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Spain
Shira Zelber-Sagi
School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Kate Hallsworth
Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Luca Busetto
Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Italy; European Association for the Study of Obesity
Gema Frühbeck
Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, University of Navarra Clinic, IdiSNA, CIBEROBN, Pamplona, Spain; European Association for the Study of Obesity
Dror Dicker
Department of Internal Medicine, Rabin Medical Center Hasharon Hospital, Tikva, Israel; European Association for the Study of Obesity
Euan Woodward
European Association for the Study of Obesity
Marko Korenjak
European Liver Patients’ Association
José Willemse
Liver Patients International
Gerardus H. Koek
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands; School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
Shlomo Vinker
Department of Family Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA); European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN); Israel Association of Family Physicians, Israel; Leumit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
Mehmet Ungan
World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA)
Juan M. Mendive
Training Unit of Family Medicine, Catalan Institute of Health, Barcelona, Spain; European Society for Primary Care Gastroenterology
Christos Lionis
European Society for Primary Care Gastroenterology; Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
Summary: This patient guideline is intended for all patients at risk of or living with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is the most frequent chronic liver disease worldwide and comes with a high disease burden. Yet, there is a lot of unawareness. Furthermore, many aspects of the disease are still to be unravelled, which has an important impact on the information that is given (or not) to patients. Its management requires a close interaction between patients and their many healthcare providers. It is important for patients to develop a full understanding of NAFLD in order to enable them to take an active role in their disease management. This guide summarises the current knowledge relevant to NAFLD and its management. It has been developed by patients, patient representatives, clinicians and scientists and is based on current scientific recommendations, intended to support patients in making informed decisions.
