TY - JOUR
T1 - Nomenclature and definition of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease
T2 - a consensus from the Middle East and north Africa
AU - Shiha, Gamal
AU - Alswat, Khalid
AU - Al Khatry, Maryam
AU - Sharara, Ala I.
AU - Örmeci, Necati
AU - Waked, Imam
AU - Benazzouz, Mustapha
AU - Al-Ali, Fuad
AU - Hamed, Abd Elkhalek
AU - Hamoudi, Waseem
AU - Attia, Dina
AU - Derbala, Moutaz
AU - Sharaf-Eldin, Mohamed
AU - Al-Busafi, Said A.
AU - Zaky, Samy
AU - Bamakhrama, Khaled
AU - Ibrahim, Nazir
AU - Ajlouni, Yousef
AU - Sabbah, Meriam
AU - Salama, Mohsen
AU - Anushiravani, Amir
AU - Afredj, Nawel
AU - Barakat, Salma
AU - Hashim, Almoutaz
AU - Fouad, Yasser
AU - Soliman, Reham
N1 - Funding Information:
The statistics for fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction and its related conditions are alarming and indicate the need for an urgent call for action to tackle this disease. In this Review, leading members from countries in the Middle East and north Africa recommend use of the term MAFLD over NAFLD to describe fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction and to apply the suggested positive criteria for diagnosis. Panel members will recommend these findings to health-care authorities in their respective countries and will work with them to implement these changes in health-care policies. If appropriately implemented, these recommendations could substantially improve the prevention, awareness, identification, and treatment of fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction. The proposed redefining of the disease should increase the prioritisation of research activity on MAFLD to fill current gaps of knowledge ( panel ). This action, supported by appropriate resource allocations, collaborative funding grants, a coordinated interdisciplinary approach, and effective policy decisions, will help to combat the growing burden of this disease.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/1
Y1 - 2021/1
N2 - With the increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction is a global health problem, especially because it is one of the earliest consequences of obesity and it precedes diabetes development. Fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction is of particular concern in the Middle East and north Africa, where its prevalence is greater than that in the rest of the world. Despite the magnitude of the problem, no regional guidelines have been developed to address this disease. This Review describes suggestions of redefining fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction, including its terminology and criteria for diagnosis. Experts have raised serious concerns on the current nomenclature, which labels the disease as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its diagnostic criteria. The panel reached a consensus that the disease should be renamed as metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and that the disease should be diagnosed by positive criteria. The aim is now to work with authorities across the region to implement these proposed changes and reflect them in health-care policy and to improve health care for patients in this region.
AB - With the increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction is a global health problem, especially because it is one of the earliest consequences of obesity and it precedes diabetes development. Fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction is of particular concern in the Middle East and north Africa, where its prevalence is greater than that in the rest of the world. Despite the magnitude of the problem, no regional guidelines have been developed to address this disease. This Review describes suggestions of redefining fatty liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction, including its terminology and criteria for diagnosis. Experts have raised serious concerns on the current nomenclature, which labels the disease as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its diagnostic criteria. The panel reached a consensus that the disease should be renamed as metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and that the disease should be diagnosed by positive criteria. The aim is now to work with authorities across the region to implement these proposed changes and reflect them in health-care policy and to improve health care for patients in this region.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096822434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85096822434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S2468-1253(20)30213-2
DO - 10.1016/S2468-1253(20)30213-2
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33181119
AN - SCOPUS:85096822434
SN - 2468-1253
VL - 6
SP - 57
EP - 64
JO - The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology
JF - The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology
IS - 1
ER -