Prospective Cohort, With Biobanking, of Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Overview

The aim of the present prospective NAFLD cohort study (with biobank), of obese subjects with proven NAFLD based on liver biopsy and/or MRI, is to study factors contributing to the development of NASH in patients with simple steatosis and to identify and validate non-invasive markers for the diagnosis of NASH.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is with 20-30% the most prevalent liver disorder in Western society. Most patients with NAFLD have no or few, mainly aspecific symptoms; and generally there is a silent progression of simple steatosis to NASH and in the end liver-related morbidity and mortality. Further insight in factors contributing to the initiation of NASH in patients with simple steatosis and early diagnosis are essential for identifying future therapeutic options and to limit the risk of complicated NASH (i.e. fibrosis, and cirrhosis with portal hypertension) HCC, liver-related mortality and extrahepatic morbidity. This cohort study, with both a cross-sectional and a longitudinal part, will include obese subjects (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, age 18-65) with proven NAFLD based on liver biopsy and/or MRI. All participants will be asked to complete several questionnaires (i.e. demographics, clinical data, SF-36, GAD-7 and PHQ-9, FFQ, SQUASH, and Baecke), and to undergo anthropometric measurements. Furthermore, blood, urine, faeces and exhaled air will be collected and a fibroscan and DEXA-scan will be performed. Additionally, participants will be asked to participate in a multi-sugar test for intestinal permeability. The majority of eligible subjects will undergo/have undergone a MRI or liver biopsy for clinical reasons. It is to be expected that about 33% of subjects will be asked to undergo a MRI for study purpose only. After 5 and 10 years, participants will be invited to undergo in the same study procedures, data and sample collection to study the factors responsible for the development of NASH in the group with simple steatosis at baseline, and the development of (extra)hepatic complications in the group with NASH at baseline.

Conditions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Central Contacts