Primary Care and General Pediatrics

Liver function tests are frequently performed in primary care and abnormalities are detected in approximately 1 in 6 cases.  It can be difficult to know the cause of the abnormalities, how to manage the patient further and in particular who should be referred to a hepatologist.  The most common cause of chronic liver disease is non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL).  This represents a spectrum of disease that ranges from simple fatty infiltration into the liver, through inflammation, scarring and eventually cirrhosis with complications such as liver cancer and liver failure.

 

This presentation will discuss the prevalence and risk factors for NAFLD and give an evidence-based practical approach to the investigation and management of patients with these abnormalities.  This will be linked to the risk-stratification tools that can be used in primary care to identify patients at risk of disease progression and the management of these individuals. It will also highlight the treatment options and future therapeutics in the field.