Screening for NAFLD-Current Knowledge and Challenges

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of abnormal liver function tests worldwide, with an estimated prevalence ranging between 19-46% in the general population. Of note, NAFLD is also expected to become a leading cause of end-stage liver disease in the next decades. Given the high prevalence and severity of NAFLD, especially in high-risk populations (i.e., patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus and/or obesity), there is a major interest in early detection of the disease in primary care. Nevertheless, substantial uncertainties still surround the development of a screening policy for NAFLD, such as limitations in currently used non-invasive markers of fibrosis, cost-effectiveness and the absence of a licensed treatment. In this review, we summarise current knowledge and try to identify the limitations surrounding the screening policy for NAFLD in primary care.

Automated summary

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common cause of abnormal liver function tests globally, with a prevalence of 19-46% in the general population. It is expected to become a leading cause of end-stage liver disease in the future. Detecting NAFLD early in primary care is of great interest, but there are uncertainties regarding screening policies due to limitations in non-invasive markers, cost-effectiveness, and lack of licensed treatment.