Obstructive sleep apnea and low nighttime oxygen – which results in oxidative stress – may trigger progression of pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) describes the accumulation of fat in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. In some individuals with the condition, the accumulated fat causes inflammation and scarring in the liver, resulting in a more serious form of the disease called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
A disease of epidemic proportions, rates of NAFLD are increasing worldwide in both adults and children. NAFLD affects an estimated 30 percent of the population in Western countries and up to 9.6 percent of all children.
Around 38 percent of obese children are affected across the NAFLD spectrum, which includes isolated hepatic steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis.
The increasing NAFLD disease trend parallels the rising incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. While forms of NAFLD such as isolated hepatic steatosis are considered to be less aggressive, patients with NASH could develop severe fibrosis and cirrhosis, with progression of hepatocellular carcinoma in adults… Read More>>
Source: Medical News Today
