Pioglitazone and vitamin E for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a cost utility analysis

4. Comprehensive Medical Evaluation and Assessment of Comorbidities: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, an interprofessional expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Effectiveness of HCC surveillance programs using multitarget blood test: A modeling study

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of ultrasound-based surveillance for HCC in patients with cirrhosis is limited by suboptimal sensitivity for early tumor detection and poor adherence. Emerging blood-based biomarkers have been proposed as an alternative surveillance strategy. We aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of a multitarget HCC blood test (mt-HBT)-with and without improved adherence-against ultrasound-based HCC surveillance.

METHODS

We developed a Markov-based mathematical model that simulated a virtual trial in patients with compensated cirrhosis comparing potential surveillance strategies: biannual surveillance using ultrasound, ultrasound plus AFP, and mt-HBT with or without improved adherence (+10% increase). We used published data to inform underlying liver disease progression rates, HCC tumor growth patterns, performance characteristics of surveillance modalities, and efficacy of treatments. Primary outcomes of interest were the number of early-stage HCCs detected and life years gained.

RESULTS

Per 100,000 patients with cirrhosis, mt-HBT detected 1680 more early-stage HCCs than ultrasound alone and 350 more early-stage HCCs than ultrasound + AFP, yielding an additional 5720 and 1000 life years, respectively. mt-HBT with improved adherence detected 2200 more early-stage HCCs than ultrasound and 880 more early-stage HCCs than ultrasound + AFP, yielding an additional 8140 and 3420 life years, respectively. The number of screening tests needed to detect one HCC case was 139 with ultrasound, 122 with ultrasound + AFP, 119 with mt-HBT, and 124 with mt-HBT with improved adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

mt-HBT is a promising alternative to ultrasound-based HCC surveillance, particularly given anticipated improved adherence with blood-based biomarkers could increase HCC surveillance effectiveness.

Cost-effectiveness of MRE versus VCTE in staging fibrosis for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients with advanced fibrosis

INTRODUCTION

NAFLD is a common cause of liver disease. To determine the optimal testing strategy for NAFLD patients with advanced fibrosis, several factors such as diagnostic accuracy, failure rates, costs of examinations, and potential treatment options need to be considered. The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of combination testing involving vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) versus magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) as a frontline imaging strategy for NAFLD patients with advanced fibrosis.

METHODS

A Markov model was developed from the US perspective. The base-case scenario in this model included patients aged 50 years with a Fibrosis-4 score of ≥2.67 and suspected advanced fibrosis. The model included a decision tree and a Markov state-transition model including 5 health states: fibrosis stage 1-2, advanced fibrosis, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and death. Both deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Staging fibrosis with MRE cost $8388 more than VCTE but led to an additional 1.19 Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) with the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $7048/QALY. The cost-effectiveness analysis of the 5 strategies revealed that MRE+biopsy and VCTE+MRE+biopsy were the most cost-effective with the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of $8054/QALY and $8241/QALY, respectively. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses indicated that MRE remained cost-effective with a sensitivity of ≥0.77, whereas VCTE became cost-effective with a sensitivity of ≥0.82.

CONCLUSIONS

MRE was not only cost-effective than VCTE as the frontline modality for staging NAFLD patients with Fibrosis-4 ≥2.67 with incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $7048/QALY but also remained cost-effective when used as a follow-up in instances of VCTE failure to diagnose.

Fatty Liver Disease, Metabolism and Alcohol Interplay: A Comprehensive Review

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, and its incidence has been increasing in recent years because of the high prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in the Western population. Alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD) is the most common cause of cirrhosis and constitutes the leading cause of cirrhosis-related deaths worldwide. Both NAFLD and ArLD constitute well-known causes of liver damage, with some similarities in their pathophysiology. For this reason, they can lead to the progression of liver disease, being responsible for a high proportion of liver-related events and liver-related deaths. Whether ArLD impacts the prognosis and progression of liver damage in patients with NAFLD is still a matter of debate. Nowadays, the synergistic deleterious effect of obesity and diabetes is clearly established in patients with ArLD and heavy alcohol consumption. However, it is still unknown whether low to moderate amounts of alcohol are good or bad for liver health. The measurement and identification of the possible synergistic deleterious effect of alcohol consumption in the assessment of patients with NAFLD is crucial for clinicians, since early intervention, advising abstinence and controlling cardiovascular risk factors would improve the prognosis of patients with both comorbidities. This article seeks to perform a comprehensive review of the pathophysiology of both disorders and measure the impact of alcohol consumption in patients with NAFLD.

Disease Progression Modeling for Economic Evaluation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Globally, 25% of people have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and, currently, there are no approved pharmacologic treatments for NAFLD. With a slow disease progression, long-term impact of pharmacologic treatments can be assessed only by complementing emerging clinical trial evidence with data from other sources in disease progression modeling. Although this modeling is crucial for economic evaluation studies assessing the clinical and economic consequences of new treatments, the approach to modeling the natural history of NAFLD differs in contemporary research. This systematic literature review investigated modeling of the natural history of NAFLD.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted searching PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database to identify articles focusing on modeling of the natural history of NAFLD. Model structure and transition probabilities were extracted from included studies.

RESULTS

Of the 28 articles identified, differences were seen in model structure and data input. Clear definitions of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and NAFLD often were lacking; differences in the granularity of modeling fibrosis progression, the approach to disease regression, and modeling of advanced liver disease varied across studies. Observed transition probabilities for F0 to F1, F1 to F2, F2 to F3, and F3 to compensated cirrhosis varied between 0.059 to 0.095, 0.023 to 0.140, 0.018 to 0.070, and 0.040 to 0.118, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The difference in disease progression modeling for seemingly similar models warrants further inquiry regarding how to model the natural course of NAFLD. Such differences may have a large impact when assessing the value of emerging pharmacologic treatments.

4. Comprehensive Medical Evaluation and Assessment of Comorbidities: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2023

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) "Standards of Care in Diabetes" includes the ADA's current clinical practice recommendations and is intended to provide the components of diabetes care, general treatment goals and guidelines, and tools to evaluate quality of care. Members of the ADA Professional Practice Committee, a multidisciplinary expert committee, are responsible for updating the Standards of Care annually, or more frequently as warranted. For a detailed description of ADA standards, statements, and reports, as well as the evidence-grading system for ADA's clinical practice recommendations and a full list of Professional Practice Committee members, please refer to Introduction and Methodology. Readers who wish to comment on the Standards of Care are invited to do so at professional.diabetes.org/SOC.

Evaluation of emerging NASH therapies: the impact of treatment efficacy profiles on long-term health outcomes

Aim: Evaluations of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) treatments require predicting lifetime outcomes from short-term clinical trials. Materials & methods: A Markov model with NASH fibrosis stages F0-F3, NASH resolution, compensated cirrhosis (F4/CC), and liver-related complication (LRC) states was developed using literature-based standard of care (SoC) data. Hypothetical efficacy profiles were defined affecting resolution (100%-increase), fibrosis improvement (100% increase), or fibrosis worsening (50% decrease). Results: For the SoC, 10-year LRC rates increased with baseline fibrosis stage (F1: 3.0%; F2: 9.8%; F3: 27.2%; F4/CC: 64.9%). The fibrosis worsening profile reduced predicted 10-year LRC rates (F1: 1.9%; F2: 6.5%; F3: 19.1%; F4/CC: 55.0%) more than the resolution and fibrosis improvement profiles (F1: 2.6%/2.6%; F2: 8.5%/8.3%; F3: 23.3%/23.0%; F4/CC: NA/59.0%). Scenario analyses considered alternative SoC progression, treatment efficacy and treatment-stopping rules. Conclusion: Potential NASH efficacy profiles have differing impacts on predicted long-term outcomes, providing insights for future stakeholders.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults 2021: A clinical practice guideline of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF), the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID) and the Italian Society of Obesity (SIO)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common and emerging liver disease in adults, paralleling the epidemic of obesity and diabetes and leading to worrisome events (hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver disease). In the past years, mounting evidence added insights about epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis and lifestyle-based or drug treatment of NAFLD. In this rapidly evolving scenario, members of the Associazione Italiana per lo Studio del Fegato, the Società Italiana di Diabetologia and the Società Italiana dell'Obesità reviewed current knowledge on NAFLD. The quality of the published evidence is graded, and practical recommendations are made following the rules and the methodology suggested in Italy by the Centro Nazionale per l'Eccellenza delle cure and Istituto Superiore di Sanità. Whenever possible, recommendations are placed within the context the Italian Healthcare system, with reference to specific experience and local diagnostic and management resources.Level of evidence Level of evidence of recommendations for each PICO question were reported according to available evidence.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults 2021: A clinical practice guideline of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF), the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID) and the Italian Society of Obesity (SIO)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common and emerging liver disease in adults, paralleling the epidemic of obesity and diabetes, and leading to worrisome events (hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver disease). In the last years, mounting evidence added insights about epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis and lifestyle-based or drug treatment of NAFLD. In this rapidly evolving scenario, members of the Associazione Italiana per lo Studio del Fegato (AISF), the Società Italiana di Diabetologia (SID) and the Società Italiana dell'Obesità (SIO) reviewed current knowledge on NAFLD. The quality of the published evidence is graded, and practical recommendations are made following the rules and the methodology suggested in Italy by the Centro Nazionale per l'Eccellenza delle cure (CNEC) and Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS). Whenever possible, recommendations are placed within the context the Italian Healthcare system, with reference to specific experience and local diagnostic and management resources. Level of evidence: Level of evidence of recommendations for each PICO question were reported according to available evidence.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults 2021: A clinical practice guideline of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF), the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID) and the Italian Society of Obesity (SIO)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common and emerging liver disease in adults, paralleling the epidemic of obesity and diabetes, and leading to worrisome events (hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver disease). In the last years, mounting evidence added insights about epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis and lifestyle-based or drug treatment of NAFLD. In this rapidly evolving scenario, members of the Associazione Italiana per lo Studio del Fegato (AISF), the Società Italiana di Diabetologia (SID) and the Società Italiana dell'Obesità (SIO) reviewed current knowledge on NAFLD. The quality of the published evidence is graded, and practical recommendations are made following the rules and the methodology suggested in Italy by the Centro Nazionale per l'Eccellenza delle cure (CNEC) and Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS). Whenever possible, recommendations are placed within the context the Italian Healthcare system, with reference to specific experience and local diagnostic and management resources. Level of evidence: Level of evidence of recommendations for each PICO question were reported according to available evidence.

Real-world Comorbidity Burden, Health Care Utilization, and Costs of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Patients With Advanced Liver Diseases

GOALS

This study evaluates the real-world comorbidity burden, health care resource utilization (HRU), and costs among nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) patients with advanced liver diseases [compensated cirrhosis (CC), decompensated cirrhosis (DCC), liver transplantation (LT), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)].

BACKGROUND

NAFLD/NASH is a leading cause of liver diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult NAFLD/NASH patients were identified retrospectively from MarketScan Commercial claims (2006-2016). Following initial NAFLD/NASH diagnosis, advanced liver diseases were identified using the first diagnosis as their index date. Mean annual all-cause HRU and costs (2016 USD) were reported. Adjusted costs were estimated through generalized linear models. Cumulative costs were illustrated for patient subsets with variable follow-up for each stage.

RESULTS

Within the database, 485,774 NAFLD/NASH patients met eligibility criteria. Of these, 93.4% (453,564) were NAFLD/NASH patients without advanced liver diseases, 1.6% (7665) with CC, 3.3% (15,833) with DCC, 0.1% (696) with LT, and 0.1% (428) with HCC. Comorbidity burden was high and increased as patients progressed through liver disease severity stages. Compared with NAFLD/NASH without advanced liver diseases (adjusted costs: $23,860), the annual cost of CC, DCC, LT, and HCC were 1.22, 5.64, 8.27, and 4.09 times higher [adjusted costs: $29,078, $134,448, $197,392, and $97,563 (P<0.0001)]. Inpatient admissions significantly drove increasing HRU.

CONCLUSION

Study findings suggest the need for early identification and effective management of NAFLD/NASH patients to minimize comorbidity burden, HRU, and costs in the privately insured US population.

Disease burden and economic impact of diagnosed non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2018

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) - a progressive subset of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - is a chronic liver disease that can progress to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease (ESLD) if left untreated. Early-stage NASH is usually asymptomatic, meaning a large proportion of the prevalent population are undiagnosed. Receiving a NASH diagnosis increases the probability that a patient will receive interventions for the purpose of managing their condition. The purpose of this study was to estimate the disease burden and economic impact of diagnosed NASH in the United Kingdom (UK) adult population in 2018.

METHODS

The socioeconomic burden of diagnosed NASH from a societal perspective was estimated using cost-of-illness methodology applying a prevalence approach. This involved estimating the number of adults with diagnosed NASH in the UK in a base period (2018) and the economic and wellbeing costs attributable to diagnosed NASH in that period. The analysis was based on a targeted review of the scientific literature, existing databases and consultation with clinical experts, health economists and patient groups.

RESULTS

Of the prevalent NASH population in the UK in 2018, an estimated 79.8% were not diagnosed. In particular, of the prevalent population in disease stages F0 to F2, only 2.0% (F0), 2.0% (F1) and 16.5% (F2), respectively, were diagnosed. Total economic costs of diagnosed NASH in the UK ranged from £2.3 billion (lower prevalence scenario, base probability of diagnosis scenario) to £4.2 billion (higher prevalence scenario, base probability of diagnosis scenario). In 2018, people with NASH in the UK were estimated to experience 94,094 to 174,564 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) overall. Total wellbeing costs associated with NASH in 2018 were estimated to range between £5.6 to £10.5 billion.

CONCLUSION

The prevention and appropriate management of adult NASH patients could result in reduced economic costs and improvements in wellbeing.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Mitochondria as Players and Targets of Therapies?

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease and represents the hepatic expression of several metabolic abnormalities of high epidemiologic relevance. Fat accumulation in the hepatocytes results in cellular fragility and risk of progression toward necroinflammation, i.e., nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. Several pathways contribute to fat accumulation and damage in the liver and can also involve the mitochondria, whose functional integrity is essential to maintain liver bioenergetics. In NAFLD/NASH, both structural and functional mitochondrial abnormalities occur and can involve mitochondrial electron transport chain, decreased mitochondrial β-oxidation of free fatty acids, excessive generation of reactive oxygen species, and lipid peroxidation. NASH is a major target of therapy, but there is no established single or combined treatment so far. Notably, translational and clinical studies point to mitochondria as future therapeutic targets in NAFLD since the prevention of mitochondrial damage could improve liver bioenergetics.

Protocols for Mitochondria as the Target of Pharmacological Therapy in the Context of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most frequent metabolic chronic liver diseases in developed countries and puts the populations at risk of progression to liver necro-inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the onset of NAFLD and contributes to the progression from NAFLD to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Thus, liver mitochondria could become the target for treatments for improving liver function in NAFLD patients. This chapter describes the most important steps used for potential therapeutic interventions in NAFLD patients, discusses current options gathered from both experimental and clinical evidence, and presents some novel options for potentially improving mitochondrial function in NAFLD.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients with advanced liver disease in Italy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to advanced liver disease (AdvLD). This study characterized comorbidities, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs among hospitalized patients with AdvLD due to NASH in Italy.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Adult nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/NASH patients from 2011 to 2017 were identified from administrative databases of Italian local health units using ICD-9-CM codes. Development of compensated cirrhosis (CC), decompensated cirrhosis (DCC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver transplant (LT) was identified using first diagnosis date for each severity cohort (index-date). Patients progressing to multiple disease stages were included in >1 cohort. Patients were followed from index-date until the earliest of disease progression, end of coverage, death, or end of study. Within each cohort, per member per month values were annualized to calculate all-cause HCRU or costs(€) in 2017. Of the 9,729 hospitalized NAFLD/NASH patients identified, 97% were without AdvLD, 1.3% had CC, 3.1% DCC, 0.8% HCC, 0.1% LT. Comorbidity burden was high across all cohorts. Mean annual number of inpatient services was greater in patients with AdvLD than without AdvLD. Similar trends were observed in outpatient visits and pharmacy fills. Mean total annual costs increased with disease severity, driven primarily by inpatient services costs.

CONCLUSION

NAFLD/NASH patients in Italy have high comorbidity burden. AdvLD patients had significantly higher costs. The higher prevalence of DCC compared to CC in this population may suggest challenges of effectively screening and identifying NAFLD/NASH patients. Early identification and effective management are needed to reduce risk of disease progression and subsequent HCRU and costs.

Systematic Literature Review and Critical Appraisal of Health Economic Models Used in Cost-Effectiveness Analyses in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis: Potential for Improvements

BACKGROUND

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a severe, typically progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The global prevalence of NASH is increasing, driven partly by the global increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), such that NASH is now a leading cause of cirrhosis. There is currently an unmet clinical need for efficacious and cost-effective treatments for NASH; no pharmacologic agents have an approved indication for NASH.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to summarise and critically appraise published health economic models of NASH, to evaluate their quality and suitability for use in the assessment of novel treatments for NASH, and to identify knowledge gaps, challenges and opportunities for future modelling.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed using the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and EconLit databases to identify published health economic analyses in patients with NAFLD or NASH. Supplementary hand searches of grey literature were also performed. Articles published up to November 2019 were included in the review. Quality assessment of identified studies was also performed.

RESULTS

A total of 19 articles comprising 16 unique models including either NAFLD as a whole or NASH alone were included in the review. Structurally, most models had a state-transition component; in terms of health states, two different approaches to early disease states were used, modelling either progression through fibrosis stages or NAFLD/NASH-specific health states. Conditions that frequently co-exist with NASH, such as obesity, T2DM and cardiovascular disease were not captured in models identified here. Late-stage complications such as cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were consistently included, but input data (e.g. costs, utilities and transition probabilities) for late-stage complications were frequently sourced from other liver disease areas. The quality of included studies was heterogenous, and only a small proportion of studies reported internal and external validation processes.

CONCLUSION

The health economic models identified in this review are associated with limitations primarily driven by a lack of NASH-specific data. Identified models also largely overlooked the intricate association between NASH and other conditions, including obesity and T2DM, and did not capture the increased risk of cardiovascular events associated with NASH. High-quality, transparent, validated health economic models of NASH will be required to evaluate the cost effectiveness of treatments currently in development, particularly compounds that may target other non-hepatic outcomes.

Progress in promising anti-fibrotic therapies

Introduction: Liver cirrhosis is the most deleterious consequence of chronic liver diseases of different etiologies. Progression of liver diseases to cirrhosis, irrespective of etiology, involves chronic parenchymal injury, persistent activation of inflammatory response, sustained activation of fibrogenesis and wound-healing response. Despite intensive research on antifibrotic drugs, novel therapeutics specifically for liver have not been yet licensed. This review will examine compounds currently under development and key challenges in specific settings as for example that of NAFLD associated fibrosis.Areas covered: Results of the main phase II and III trial, including those with negative results, are presented and discussed. The endpoints selected and their limitations highlighted in order to suggest potential options to move forward.Expert opinion: Strategies based on single-molecule targets, associated so far with some disappointing results, may be unlikely to succeed in the context of such complex pathogenesis. Blocking at the same time different pathways that drive fibrosis progression may be required to provide significant benefit.

Referral pathways for patients with NAFLD based on non-invasive fibrosis tests: Diagnostic accuracy and cost analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Non-invasive fibrosis tests (NITs) can be used to triage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients at risk of advanced fibrosis (AF). We modelled and investigated the diagnostic accuracy and costs of a two-tier NIT approach in primary care (PC) to inform secondary care referrals (SCRs).

METHODS

A hypothetical cohort of 1,000 NAFLD patients with a 5% prevalence of AF was examined. Three referral strategies were modelled: refer all patients (Scenario 1), refer only patients with AF on NITs performed in PC (Scenario 2) and refer those with AF after biopsy (Scenario 3). Patients in Scenarios 1 and 2 would undergo sequential NITs if their initial NIT was indeterminate (FIB-4 followed by Fibroscan®, enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF)® or FibroTest®). The outcomes considered were true/false positives and true/false negatives with associated mortality, complications, treatment and follow-up depending on the care setting. Decision curve analysis was performed, which expressed the net benefit of different scenarios over a range of threshold probabilities (Pt).

RESULTS

Sequential use of NITs provided lower SCR rates and greater cost savings compared to other scenarios over 5 years, with 90% of patients managed in PC and cost savings of over 40%. On decision curve analysis, FIB-4 plus ELF was marginally superior to FIB-4 plus Fibroscan at Pt ≥8% (1/12.5 referrals). Below this Pt, FIB-4 plus Fibroscan had greater net benefit. The net reduction in SCRs was similar for both sequential combinations.

CONCLUSIONS

The sequential use of NITs in PC is an effective way to rationalize SCRs and is associated with significant cost savings.

Cost-comparison analysis of FIB-4, ELF and fibroscan in community pathways for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background

The identification of patients with advanced liver fibrosis secondary to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains challenging. Using non-invasive liver fibrosis tests (NILT) in primary care may permit earlier detection of patients with clinically significant disease for specialist review, and reduce unnecessary referral of patients with mild disease. We constructed an analytical model to assess the clinical and cost differentials of such strategies.

Methods

A probabilistic decisional model simulated a cohort of 1000 NAFLD patients over 1 year from a healthcare payer perspective. Simulations compared standard care (SC) (scenario 1) to: Scenario 2: FIB-4 for all patients followed by Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) test for patients with indeterminate FIB-4 results; Scenario 3: FIB-4 followed by fibroscan for indeterminate FIB-4; Scenario 4: ELF alone; and Scenario 5: fibroscan alone. Model estimates were derived from the published literature. The primary outcome was cost per case of advanced fibrosis detected.

Results

Introduction of NILT increased detection of advanced fibrosis over 1 year by 114, 118, 129 and 137% compared to SC in scenarios 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with reduction in unnecessary referrals by 85, 78, 71 and 42% respectively.

The cost per case of advanced fibrosis (METAVIR ≥F3) detected was £25,543, £8932, £9083, £9487 and £10,351 in scenarios 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Total budget spend was reduced by 25.2, 22.7, 15.1 and 4.0% in Scenarios 2, 3, 4 and 5 compared to £670 K at baseline.

Conclusion

Our analyses suggest that the use of NILT in primary care can increases early detection of advanced liver fibrosis and reduce unnecessary referral of patients with mild disease and is cost efficient. Adopting a two-tier approach improves resource utilization.

A Structured Literature Review of the Epidemiology and Disease Burden of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

INTRODUCTION

Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by fatty liver and liver cell injury, advancing to fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Diagnosis involves liver biopsy; however, as a result of its high cost and invasiveness, NASH remains underdiagnosed, and accurate burden of disease (BoD) data are lacking. Our aim was to understand the epidemiological and BoD landscape in NASH and identify knowledge gaps.

METHODS

The Ovid search engine was used to conduct a structured review, following quality systematic principles. It included publications that reported on epidemiology, quality of life (QoL) and BoD outcomes in NASH adults. Searches were limited to English language studies published between January 2007 and September 2017. Additional grey literature searches were conducted. A total of 53 references were selected; 38 were peer-reviewed and 15 were grey literature sources.

RESULTS

NASH is estimated to affect 3-5% of the global population, most suffering from several comorbidities. Advancing fibrosis drives clinical outcomes, with approximately 20% of patients developing cirrhosis and/or HCC, the latter being a leading cause of death in NASH. A recent model predicted the 15-year survival of advanced fibrosis patients at F3 and F4 as 51.0% and 28.4%, respectively. The limited data consistently show that NASH patients experience significantly poorer QoL and higher costs compared to non-NASH patients.

CONCLUSION

This first broad-ranging examination of NASH literature revealed a paucity of evidence, with poor-quality, small studies found. The overwhelming impact of NASH and its patient and healthcare burden is evident. Further evidence is needed to improve our understanding of NASH, especially as fibrosis stages advance.

FUNDING

Gilead Science Inc.

Weight Reduction and Pioglitazone are Cost-Effective for the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Thailand

INTRODUCTION

This study evaluated lifetime liver-related clinical outcomes, costs of treatment, and the cost-effectiveness of treatment options for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Thailand.

METHODS

A cost-utility analysis using a lifetime Markov model was conducted among Thai patients with NAFLD, from a societal perspective. Pioglitazone, vitamin E, a weight reduction program, and usual care were investigated, with the outcomes of interest being the number of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases, life expectancy, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

When compared with usual care, a weight reduction program can prevent cirrhosis and HCC cases by 13.91% (95% credible interval [CrI] 0.97, 20.59) and 2.12% (95% CrI 0.43, 4.56), respectively; pioglitazone can prevent cirrhosis and HCC cases by 9.30% (95% CrI -2.52, 15.24) and 1.42% (95% CrI -0.18, 3.74), respectively; and vitamin E can prevent cirrhosis and HCC cases by 7.32% (95% CrI -4.64, 15.56) and 1.12% (95% CrI -0.81, 3.44), respectively. Estimated incremental life expectancy and incremental QALYs for all treatment options compared with usual care were approximately 0.06 years and 0.07 QALYs, respectively. The lifetime costs of both a weight reduction program and pioglitazone were less than usual care, while vitamin E was $3050 (95% CrI 2354, 3650). The weight reduction program dominated all other treatment options. The probability of being cost-effective in Thailand's willingness-to-pay threshold ($4546/QALY gained) was 76% for the weight reduction program, 22% for pioglitazone, 2% for usual care, and 0% for vitamin E.

CONCLUSIONS

A weight reduction program can prevent cirrhosis and HCC occurrences, and dominates all other treatment options. Pioglitazone and vitamin E demonstrated a trend towards decreasing the number of cirrhosis and HCC cases.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Bariatric Surgery for Patients With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Cirrhosis

IMPORTANCE

Obesity is the most common risk factor for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the progressive form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Weight loss can be an effective treatment for obesity and may slow the progression of advanced liver disease.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery in patients with NASH and compensated cirrhosis.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This economic evaluation study used a Markov-based state-transition model to simulate the benefits and risks of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG), laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GB), and intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) compared with usual care in patients with NASH and compensated cirrhosis and varying baseline weight (overweight, mild obesity, moderate obesity, and severe obesity). Patients faced varied risks of perioperative mortality and complications depending on the type of surgery they underwent. Data were collected on March 22, 2017.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Life-years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), costs (in 2017 $US), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated.

RESULTS

Demographic characteristics of the patient population were based on a previously published prospective study (n = 161). Patients in the model were 41.0% female, and the base case age was 54 years. Compared with usual care, SG was associated with an increase in QALYs of 0.263 to 1.180 (bounds of ranges represent overweight to severe obesity); GB, 0.263 to 1.207; and ILI, 0.004 to 0.216. Sleeve gastrectomy was also associated with an increase in life-years of 0.693 to 1.930; GB, 0.694 to 1.947; and ILI, 0.012 to 0.114. With usual care, expected life-years in overweight, mild obesity, moderate obesity, and severe obesity were 12.939, 11.949, 10.976, and 10.095, respectively. With usual care, QALY in overweight was 6.418; mild obesity, 5.790; moderate obesity, 5.186; and severe obesity, 4.577. Sleeve gastrectomy was the most cost-effective option for patients across all weight classes assessed: ICER for SG in patients with overweight was $66 119 per QALY; mild obesity, $18 716 per QALY; moderate obesity, $10 274 per QALY; and severe obesity, $6563 per QALY. A threshold analysis on the procedure cost of GB found that for GB to be cost-effective, the cost of the surgery must be decreased from its baseline value of $28 734 by $4889 for mild obesity, by $3189 for moderate obesity, and by $2289 for severe obesity. In overweight patients, GB involved fewer QALYs than SG, and thus decreasing the cost of surgery would not result in cost-effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Bariatric surgery could be highly cost-effective in patients with NASH compensated cirrhosis and obesity or overweight. The findings from this analysis suggest that it can inform clinical trials evaluating the effect of bariatric procedures in patients with NASH cirrhosis, including those with a lower body mass index.

Drug Development for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Landscape and Challenges

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the leading cause of chronic liver disease in industrialized economies. With no licensed treatment currently available, together with a growing prevalence that parallels global increases in obesity and type 2 diabetes, NAFLD will dominate the landscape of hepatology for the foreseeable future. A multifaceted etiopathogenesis, paucity of reproducible preclinical models that effectively recreate human NAFLD, and lack of robust surrogate trial endpoints have presented major hurdles in drug discovery and development. Smooth collaboration between bench scientists, biotechnology, pharmaceutical industries, and clinicians will be pivotal to target identification, development of effective therapies, biomarker discovery, and ultimately to bring pipeline drugs to market. This review examines the key challenges remaining in NAFLD drug development, outlines early and late phase clinical trials of candidate treatments, and discusses the journey toward biomarker discovery which may facilitate development of novel endpoints in NAFLD clinical trials, enabling meaningful response to be determined noninvasively.

Economic evaluation of a community-based diagnostic pathway to stratify adults for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a Markov model informed by a feasibility study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the long-term cost-effectiveness of a risk stratification pathway, compared with standard care, for detecting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in primary care.

SETTING

Primary care general practices in England.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults who have been identified in primary care to have a risk factor for developing NAFLD, that is, type 2 diabetes without a history of excessive alcohol use.

INTERVENTION

A community-based pathway, which uses transient elastography and hepatologists to stratify patients at risk of NAFLD, has been implemented and demonstrated to be feasible (NCT02037867). Earlier identification could mean earlier treatments, referral to specialist and enrolment into surveillance programmes.

DESIGN

The impact of earlier detection and treatment with the risk stratification pathway on progression to later stages of liver disease was examined using decision modelling with Markov chains to estimate lifetime health and economic effects of the two comparators.

DATA SOURCES

Data from a prospective cross-sectional feasibility study indicating risk stratification pathway and standard care diagnostic accuracies were combined with a Markov model that comprised the following states: no/mild liver disease, significant liver disease, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplant and death. The model data were chosen from up-to-date UK sources, published literature and an expert panel.

OUTCOME MEASURE

An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) indicating cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of the risk stratification pathway compared with standard care was estimated.

RESULTS

The risk stratification pathway was more effective than standard care and costs £2138 per QALY gained. The ICER was most sensitive to estimates of the rate of fibrosis progression and the effect of treatment on reducing this, and ranged from -£1895 to £7032/QALY. The risk stratification pathway demonstrated an 85% probability of cost-effectiveness at the UK willingness-to-pay threshold of £20 000/QALY.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of a community-based risk stratification pathway is likely to be cost-effective.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02037867, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of ultrasonography screening for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in metabolic syndrome patients

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be diagnosed early by noninvasive ultrasonography; however, the cost-effectiveness of ultrasonography screening with intensive weight reduction program in metabolic syndrome patients is not clear. This study aims to estimate economic and clinical outcomes of ultrasonography in Thailand.

METHODS

Cost-effectiveness analysis used decision tree and Markov models to estimate lifetime costs and health benefits from societal perspective, based on a cohort of 509 metabolic syndrome patients in Thailand. Data were obtained from published literatures and Thai database. Results were reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in 2014 US dollars (USD) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained with discount rate of 3%. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the influence of parameter uncertainty on the results.

RESULTS

The ICER of ultrasonography screening of 50-year-old metabolic syndrome patients with intensive weight reduction program was 958 USD/QALY gained when compared with no screening. The probability of being cost-effective was 67% using willingness-to-pay threshold in Thailand (4848 USD/QALY gained). Screening before 45 years was cost saving while screening at 45 to 64 years was cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with metabolic syndromes, ultrasonography screening for NAFLD with intensive weight reduction program is a cost-effective program in Thailand. Study can be used as part of evidence-informed decision making.

TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS

Findings could contribute to changes of NAFLD diagnosis practice in settings where economic evidence is used as part of decision-making process. Furthermore, study design, model structure, and input parameters could also be used for future research addressing similar questions.

Bariatric surgery for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: A clinical and cost-effectiveness analysis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) affects 2%-3% of the US population and is expected to become the leading indication for liver transplantation in the next decade. Bariatric surgery may be an effective but expensive treatment for NASH. Using a state-transition model, our analysis assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of surgery to manage NASH. We simulated the benefits and harms of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in patients defined by weight class (overweight, mild obesity, moderate obesity, and severe obesity) and fibrosis stage (F0-F3). Comparators included intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) and no treatment. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated. Our results showed that surgery and ILI in obese patients (with F0-F3) increased QALYs by 0.678-2.152 and 0.452-0.618, respectively, compared with no treatment. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for surgery in all F0-F3 patients with mild, moderate, or severe obesity were $48,836/QALY, $24,949/QALY, and $19,222/QALY, respectively. In overweight patients (with F0-F3), surgery increased QALYs by 0.050-0.824 and ILI increased QALYs by 0.031-0.164. In overweight patients, it was cost-effective to reserve treatment only for F3 patients; the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for providing surgery or ILI only to F3 patients were $30,484/QALY and $25,367/QALY, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery was both effective and cost-effective for obese patients with NASH, regardless of fibrosis stage; in overweight patients, surgery increased QALYs for all patients regardless of fibrosis stage, but was cost-effective only for patients with F3 fibrosis; our results highlight the promise of bariatric surgery for treating NASH and underscore the need for clinical trials in this area. (Hepatology 2017;65:1156-1164).

Screening for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Individuals with type 2 diabetes are at heightened risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which gives rise to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Yet, current guidelines do not recommend screening for NASH among these high-risk patients. Using a simulation model, we assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening diabetic patients for NASH.

METHODS

A Markov model was constructed to compare two management strategies for 50-year-olds with diabetes. In the No Screening strategy, patients do not undergo screening, although NASH may be diagnosed incidentally over their lifetime. In the NASH Screening strategy, all patients receive a one-time screening ultrasound. Individuals with fatty infiltration on ultrasound then have a liver biopsy, and those found to have NASH receive medical therapy, which decreases progression to cirrhosis. Endpoints evaluated included quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

RESULTS

Screening for NASH decreased the number of individuals who developed cirrhosis by 12.9 % and resulted in an 11.9 % decrease in liver-related deaths. However, screening resulted in 0.02 fewer QALYs, due to the disutility associated with treatment, and was therefore dominated by the No Screening strategy. When the model excluded this quality-of-life decrement, screening became cost-effective, at an ICER of $42,134 per QALY.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening for NASH may improve liver-related outcomes, but is not cost-effective at present, due to side effects of therapy. As better tolerated treatments for NASH become available, even with modest efficacy, screening for NASH will become cost-effective.

Cost-effectiveness of non-invasive methods for assessment and monitoring of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease: systematic review and economic evaluation

BACKGROUND

Liver biopsy is the reference standard for diagnosing the extent of fibrosis in chronic liver disease; however, it is invasive, with the potential for serious complications. Alternatives to biopsy include non-invasive liver tests (NILTs); however, the cost-effectiveness of these needs to be established.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of NILTs in patients with chronic liver disease.

DATA SOURCES

We searched various databases from 1998 to April 2012, recent conference proceedings and reference lists.

METHODS

We included studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of NILTs using liver biopsy as the reference standard. Diagnostic studies were assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using the bivariate random-effects model with correlation between sensitivity and specificity (whenever possible). Decision models were used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the NILTs. Expected costs were estimated using a NHS perspective and health outcomes were measured as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Markov models were developed to estimate long-term costs and QALYs following testing, and antiviral treatment where indicated, for chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C (HCV). NILTs were compared with each other, sequential testing strategies, biopsy and strategies including no testing. For alcoholic liver disease (ALD), we assessed the cost-effectiveness of NILTs in the context of potentially increasing abstinence from alcohol. Owing to a lack of data and treatments specifically for fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the analysis was limited to an incremental cost per correct diagnosis. An analysis of NILTs to identify patients with cirrhosis for increased monitoring was also conducted.

RESULTS

Given a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20,000 per QALY, treating everyone with HCV without prior testing was cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £9204. This was robust in most sensitivity analyses but sensitive to the extent of treatment benefit for patients with mild fibrosis. For HBV [hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative)] this strategy had an ICER of £28,137, which was cost-effective only if the upper bound of the standard UK cost-effectiveness threshold range (£30,000) is acceptable. For HBeAg-positive disease, two NILTs applied sequentially (hyaluronic acid and magnetic resonance elastography) were cost-effective at a £20,000 threshold (ICER: £19,612); however, the results were highly uncertain, with several test strategies having similar expected outcomes and costs. For patients with ALD, liver biopsy was the cost-effective strategy, with an ICER of £822.

LIMITATIONS

A substantial number of tests had only one study from which diagnostic accuracy was derived; therefore, there is a high risk of bias. Most NILTs did not have validated cut-offs for diagnosis of specific fibrosis stages. The findings of the ALD model were dependent on assuptions about abstinence rates assumptions and the modelling approach for NAFLD was hindered by the lack of evidence on clinically effective treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Treating everyone without NILTs is cost-effective for patients with HCV, but only for HBeAg-negative if the higher cost-effectiveness threshold is appropriate. For HBeAg-positive, two NILTs applied sequentially were cost-effective but highly uncertain. Further evidence for treatment effectiveness is required for ALD and NAFLD.

STUDY REGISTRATION

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42011001561.

FUNDING

The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Review: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcomes

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of abnormal serum aminotransferase levels in both developed and developing countries. Patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a subset of NAFLD, are at risk for progressive liver disease and in need of effective treatment options. A practical approach may be pursued by identifying patients with NAFLD with the highest likelihood for histologic evidence of NASH. Despite decades of clinical trials, no single treatment can be recommended to all patients with NASH. Importantly, there is no evidence that pioglitazone or vitamin E improves fibrosis. Bariatric surgeries may improve hepatic histology in morbidly obese patients with NASH, although randomized clinical trials are lacking. Currently, NASH is the second leading etiology of liver disease among adults awaiting liver transplantation in the United States. The primary and secondary prevention of NAFLD may require aggressive strategies for managing obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Cost-utility analysis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis screening

OBJECTIVES

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in Western countries. No studies have examined the cost-effectiveness of screening its advanced form, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

METHODS

We performed a cost-utility analysis of annual noninvasive screening strategies using third-party payer perspective in a general population in comparison to screening a high-risk obese or diabetic population. Screening algorithms involved well-studied techniques, including NAFLD fibrosis score, transient elastography (TE), and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging for detecting advanced fibrosis (≥ F3); and plasma cytokeratin (CK)-18 for NASH detection. Liver biopsy and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) were compared as confirmation methods. Canadian dollar (CAD or C$) costs were adjusted for inflation and discounted at 5%. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of ≤C$ 50,000 was considered cost-effective.

RESULTS

Compared with no screening, screening with NAFLD fibrosis score/TE/CK-18 algorithm with MRE as confirmation for advanced fibrosis had an ICER of C$ 26,143 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Screening in high-risk obese or diabetic populations was more cost-effective, with an ICER of C$ 9,051 and C$ 7,991 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained, respectively. Liver biopsy confirmation was not found to be cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

Our model suggests that annual NASH screening in high-risk obese or diabetic populations can be cost-effective.

KEY POINTS

• This cost-utility analysis suggests that screening for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis may be cost-effective. • In particular, screening of high-risk obese or diabetic populations is more cost-effective. • Magnetic resonance elastography was more cost-effective to confirm disease compared to biopsy. • More studies are needed to determine quality of life in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. • More management strategies for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are also needed.

The fatty acid-bile acid conjugate Aramchol reduces liver fat content in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We investigated the effects of the fatty acid-bile acid conjugate 3β-arachidyl-amido, 7α-12α-dihydroxy, 5β-cholan-24-oic acid (Aramchol; Trima Israel Pharmaceutical Products Ltd, Maabarot, Israel) in a phase 2 trial of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS

We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 60 patients with biopsy-confirmed NAFLD (6 with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) at 10 centers in Israel. Patients were given Aramchol (100 or 300 mg) or placebo once daily for 3 months (n = 20/group). The main end point was the difference between groups in the change in liver fat content according to magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The secondary end points focused on the differences between groups in alterations of liver enzyme levels, levels of adiponectin, homeostasis model assessment scores, and endothelial function.

RESULTS

No serious or drug-related adverse events were observed in the 58 patients who completed the study. Over 3 months, liver fat content decreased by 12.57% ± 22.14% in patients given 300 mg/day Aramchol, but increased by 6.39% ± 36.27% in the placebo group (P = .02 for the difference between groups, adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index). Liver fat content decreased in the 100-mg Aramchol group, by 2.89% ± 28.22%, but this change was nonsignificant (P = .35), indicating a dose-response relationship (P for trend = .01). Groups given Aramchol had nonsignificant improvements over time in endothelial function and levels of alanine aminotransferase and adiponectin, but homeostasis model assessment scores did not change. The appropriateness of a single daily dose was confirmed by pharmacokinetic analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Three months' administration of the fatty acid-bile acid conjugate Aramchol is safe, tolerable, and significantly reduces liver fat content in patients with NAFLD. The reduction in liver fat content occurred in a dose-dependent manner and was associated with a trend of metabolic improvements, indicating that Aramchol might be used for the treatment of fatty liver disease. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01094158.

The role of diet and nutritional intervention for the management of patients with NAFLD

During the last few decades, the prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have dramatically increased. Nutrition and modern lifestyle habits are intimately involved in this epidemiological change. Although lifestyle intervention can theoretically revert the metabolic disturbances and prevent the long term complications of NAFLD, its efficacy is diminished in clinical practice by poor implementation and reduced adherence to lifestyle intervention programs. In this article we summarize the main elements of dietary interventions for NAFLD, describe practical strategies to optimize efficacy and review potential nutritional strategies under development that hopefully will improve outcomes in the future.

Pharmacological agents for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

The rationale for specific pharmacologic therapy in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is determined by the potential for disease progression and the difficulties, in many patients, to successfully implement diet and lifestyle changes in the long term. Because they correct insulin resistance, insulin-sensitizing agents are attractive candidates for the treatment of NASH. However, two randomized studies have shown that vitamin E, despite having no effect on insulin sensitivity, achieves interesting histological and biochemical efficacy. This review provides an insight into the therapeutic efficacy and safety issues of different pharmacological agents tested in human NASH.

Pharmacological agents for NASH

NASH is a common liver disease that increases liver-related mortality and reduces survival. The need for optimal management of NASH is therefore a priority for today's practicing hepatologist. The rationale for specific pharmacological therapy for NASH is based on the potential for disease progression and the difficulties that many patients have successfully implementing, in the long term, diet and lifestyle changes. Even in those that succeed, limited evidence exists that severe liver injury in patients with NASH can be reversed by diet and lifestyle measures alone. This Review provides a personal and critical assessment of the histological efficacy and safety of agents tested in randomized trials in patients with NASH.

From NAFLD in clinical practice to answers from guidelines

This review of the literature consists of three sections. First, papers concerning non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) awareness among the general population, general practitioners, and liver and non-liver specialists were retrieved and analyzed to highlight the perception of disease, verify knowledge of current recommendations, and identify the main difficulties experienced in clinical practice. Next, position papers and clinical practice guidelines issued by International and National Hepatological Scientific Societies were identified and critically assessed in order to pinpoint the areas of convergence/difference. Finally, practical suggestions on NAFLD diagnosis and management in daily practice are provided and the open questions highlighted.