scholarly journals The Visceral Adiposity Index in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1890
Author(s):  
Abdulrahman Ismaiel ◽  
Ayman Jaaouani ◽  
Daniel-Corneliu Leucuta ◽  
Stefan-Lucian Popa ◽  
Dan L. Dumitrascu
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Liver Fibrosis ◽  
Fatty Liver ◽  
Fatty Liver Disease ◽  
Visceral Adiposity ◽  
Visceral Adiposity Index ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Simple Steatosis ◽  
Adiposity Index ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

(1) Background: In order to avoid a liver biopsy in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), several noninvasive biomarkers have been studied lately. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the visceral adiposity index (VAI) in NAFLD and liver fibrosis, in addition to its accuracy in predicting NAFLD and NASH. (2) Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, identifying observational studies assessing the VAI in NAFLD and liver fibrosis. QUADAS-2 was used to evaluate the quality of included studies. The principal summary outcomes were mean difference (MD) and area under the curve (AUC). (3) Results: A total of 24 studies were included in our review. VAI levels were significantly increased in NAFLD (biopsy-proven and ultrasound-diagnosed), simple steatosis vs. controls, and severe steatosis vs. simple steatosis. However, no significant MD was found according to sex, liver fibrosis severity, simple vs. moderate and moderate vs. severe steatosis, pediatric NAFLD, and NASH patients. The VAI predicted NAFLD (AUC 0.767) and NASH (AUC 0.732). (4) Conclusions: The VAI has a predictive value in diagnosing NAFLD and NASH, with significantly increased values in adult NAFLD patients, simple steatosis compared to controls, and severe steatosis compared to simple steatosis.

scholarly journals The Visceral Adiposity Index in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis — Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahman Ismaiel ◽  
◽  
Ayman Jaaouani ◽  
Daniel-Corneliu Leucuta ◽  
Stefan-Lucian Popa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Liver Fibrosis ◽  
Fatty Liver ◽  
Fatty Liver Disease ◽  
Visceral Adiposity ◽  
High Density Lipoproteins ◽  
Visceral Adiposity Index ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Adiposity Index

Review question / Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the mean difference and AUROC of Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) in NAFLD/NASH/liver fibrosis patients and controls in observational studies. Condition being studied: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multi-system disease, being mainly a liver pathology involving excessive hepatic fat accumulation unrelated to alcohol consumption or other secondary causes of hepatic steatosis. It is an emerging cause of concern and increasing clinical burden, imposing a public health challenge. NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease and is predicted to be the most common indication for a liver transplant in Western countries by 2030, owing to a prevalence of 25% worldwide. The visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a scoring system based on body mass index, triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), and waist circumferences (WCs).

scholarly journals The diagnostic conundrum in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerio Rosato ◽  
Mario Masarone ◽  
Andrea Aglitti ◽  
Marcello Persico
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Liver Fibrosis ◽  
Liver Biopsy ◽  
Fatty Liver ◽  
Fatty Liver Disease ◽  
Advanced Fibrosis ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Simple Steatosis ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common liver alteration worldwide. It encompasses a spectrum of disorders that range from simple steatosis to a progressive form, defined non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), that can lead to advanced fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. On liver histology, NASH is characterized by the concomitant presence of significant fat accumulation and inflammatory reaction with hepatocellular injury. Until now, liver biopsy is still required to differentiate simple steatosis from NASH and evaluate the degree of liver fibrosis. Unfortunately, this technique has well-known limitations, including invasiveness and expensiveness. Moreover, it may be biased by sampling error and intra- or inter-observed variability. Furthermore, due to the increasing prevalence of NAFLD worldwide, to program a systematic screening with liver biopsy is not imaginable. In recent years, different techniques were developed and validated with the aim of non-invasively identifying NASH and assess liver fibrosis degrees. The non-invasive tests range from simple blood-tests analyses to composite scores and complex imaging techniques. Nevertheless, even if they could represent cost-effective strategies for diagnosing NASH, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis, their accuracy and consequent usefulness are to be discussed. With this aim, in this review the authors summarize the current state of non-invasive assessment of NAFLD. In particular, in addition to the well-established tests, the authors describe the future perspectives in this field, reporting the latest tests based on OMICS, gut-miocrobioma and micro-RNAs. Finally, the authors provide an accurate assessment of how these non-invasive tools perform in clinical practice depending on the clinical context, with the aim of giving the clinicians a useful tool to try to resolve the diagnostic conundrum of NAFLD.

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