MAFLD vs. NAFLD: shared features and potential changes in epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and pharmacotherapy

• Published in: Chinese medical journal Vol. 134; no. 1; pp. 8 - 19
• Main Authors: Xian, Ying-Xin, Weng, Jian-Ping, Xu, Fen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 14.12.2020; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China%Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diabetology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, China%Department of Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China; Wolters Kluwer
• Subjects: Cytokines; Diabetes; Drug therapy; Epidemiology; Etiology; Fatty liver; Hepatitis; Hyperglycemia; Insulin resistance; Liver diseases; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Pathogenesis; Pathophysiology; Review; China; Pharmacotherapy; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Diagnosis; Pathophysiology; Metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0366-6999; 2542-5641; 2542-5641
• DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001263

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, placing an increasing burden on human health. NAFLD is a complex multifactorial disease involving genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors. It is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, of which insulin resistance is the main pathophysiological mechanism. Over the past few decades, investigation of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatments has revealed different aspects of NAFLD, challenging the accuracy of definition and therapeutic strategy for the clinical practice. Recently, experts reach a consensus that NAFLD does not reflect the current knowledge, and metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is suggested as a more appropriate term. The new definition puts increased emphasis on the important role of metabolic dysfunction in it. Herein, the shared features and potential changes in epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and pharmacotherapy of the newly defined MAFLD, as compared with the formerly defined NAFLD, are reviewed for updating our understanding.