Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited recently enlightened the doctors, physicians and the general public by conducting a conference on the significance of increasing prevalence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the worrying fact that the presence of metabolic syndrome and steatohepatitis (NASH) in these patients can trigger serious complications.

About 30 per cent of population is at risk of developing fatty liver disease. Those who develop NASH (approx. 25 per cent of fatty liver patients) have increased possibility of suffering from progressive liver disease, cirrhosis and liver failure, apart from increased risk of cardiac diseases.

While there is general awareness on fatty liver, experts have voiced out concern on the lack of awareness of its complications. Those with NASH and the 'metabolic syndrome' – a combination of sugar abnormalities, hypertension, central obesity, high levels of triglycerides and low HDL - can lead to serious complications that can be treated if diagnosed at an early stage.

Dr N Murugan, consultant hepatologist at Apollo Hospitals says, “People are of the opinion that fatty liver is just another common ailment that doesn’t need much intervention. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Up to 25 per cent of those with fatty liver have a condition called NASH, that can progress to serious liver damage. In fact around 1/4th of liver transplant patients are those who suffer from non alcoholic fatty liver disease, including many women.”
He further adds, “This conference has brought to light the complications of fatty liver and NASH and this needs to be taken seriously,” he added. The conference also educated the doctors on various diagnostic procedures for NASH and current and future treatment trends.”

One of the facts highlighted was newer techniques to diagnose advanced liver damage at an early stage. One such device is called “Fibroscan” – a scan that can diagnose the level of liver damage (fibrosis and cirrhosis) without the need of a liver biopsy. This will allow early diagnoses of serious liver damage in patients with fatty liver, and allow for earlier treatment. Apollo hospitals Chennai is one of the few hospitals in the country to have this facility, and hopes to benefit its many patients in preventing serious complications. Apollo has always set the trend in preventive healthcare, and this is one more example of such initiatives from this group.