ABSTRACT
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and is currently among the most prominent causes of chronic liver disease in the United States, being found in up to 30% of the general population (Browning et al., 2004). Although most patients with simple liver steatosis will not progress, an NAFLD subtype with inammatory features, coined nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; estimated to affect 5% of the general population), does progress to cirrhosis and its complications.
