Vnitr Lek 2025, 71(1):29-36 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2025.005

The significance of metabolism-associated steatotic liver disease and its treatment

Adam Vašura^{1, 2}, Evžen Machytka^{1, 3}, Marek Bužga^{4, 5}, Jitka Macháčková^{1, 6}, Jan Král⁷

¹ Oddělení gastroenterologie, hepatologie a pankreatologie, Interní a kardiologická klinika, Fakultní nemocnice Ostrava

² Katedra interních oborů, Lékařská fakulta, Ostravská univerzita

³ Gastroenterologické a hepatologické oddělení, Fakultní nemocnice u sv. Anny v Brně

⁴ Ústav laboratorní medicíny, Fakultní nemocnice Ostrava a Lékařská fakulta, Ostravská univerzita

⁵ Ústav fyziologie a patofyziologie, Lékařská fakulta, Ostravská univerzita

⁶ Ústav epidemiologie a ochrany veřejného zdraví, Lékařská fakulta, Ostravská univerzita

⁷ Interní klinika 2. lékařské fakulty Univerzity Karlovy a Fakultní nemocnice Motol, Praha

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most important chronic liver diseases, which is closely related to metabolic syndrome. It was renamed to metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in May 2023. In recent decades, this disease has experienced a global prevalence increase, which is currently 32 %, mainly in connection with the increase of obese patients in all regions. MASLD prevalence copies the increase of metabolic syndrome. It is necessary to actively search for this disease and use available diagnostic tools, which will detect this disease and also will help with selection of high-risk patients who are at risk of progression of this disease to significant liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, patients with MASLD are not only at risk of liver comorbidities, but due to their interconnection with metabolic syndrome, they have a higher incidence of its components. Dominant comorbidities are cardiovascular diseases. The main therapeutic approach is dietary and exercise measures, but we are looking for effective pharmacotherapy. If conservative treatment methods fail, we can use the option of bariatric surgery and endoscopy in obese patients.

Keywords: liver steatosis, MASLD, NAFLD, steatohepatitis, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, healthy lifestyle.

Accepted: February 6, 2025; Published: February 18, 2025  Show citation