The Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH) position statement on the redefinition of fatty liver disease

Change from NAFLD to MAFLD increases the awareness of fatty liver disease in primary care physicians and specialists

“…The recent landmark articles by Eslam et al 1,2 have attracted substantial attention from various stakeholders. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] although concerns have been raised that such a change may lead to confusion, particularly among non-hepatologists. 10 To better assess physician awareness, perception of disease severity, patterns of practice for the diagnosis and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and to determine the impact of the proposed change in nomenclature, we undertook a national faceto-face survey from November 20, 2020 to December 20, 2020.…”

Gut Microbiota in Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease and in Other Chronic Metabolic Diseases

“…This situation constitutes a serious public health problem. 6,[13][14][15] The pathophysiology of these metabolic diseases is very complex and multiple factors seem to play a role in their development and progression; however, the gut microbiota is an emerging topic, as over the past few decades it has been demonstrated to play a critical role in their development. Signals generated by dietary intake and environmental factors disturb the composition of the microbiota, altering intestinal barrier homeostasis as well as the bile acid (BA) composition, and activating inflammatory pathways.…”

MAFLD: Now is the time to capitalize on the momentum

“…In addition, the new name and definition has received the support and endorsement from multiple stakeholders, including patients, patient advocacy associations, nurses and allied health leaders, indicating that a broad consensus is emerging. [9][10][11] Beyond this, the trajectory of evidence supporting the utility of the definition in practice continues to be forthcoming. 12 The MAFLD criteria identifies patients with more advanced hepatic fibrosis, 13 incident cardiovascular disease, 14 chronic kidney disease, 12,15 and those who would benefit from an assessment of genetic risks for fatty liver 16,17 better than the old criteria.…”