New Insights from EASL: The Role of Lifestyle Interventions in Preventing and Treating NAFLD/NASH in Children and Adults 

New Insights from EASL: The Role of Lifestyle Interventions in Preventing and Treating NAFLD/NASH in Children and Adults 

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease globally and is independently associated with an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases. Approximately one-third of the global population is currently facing the health threat posed by NAFLD, yet it appears that healthcare systems are not giving it enough attention. On the first day of the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL 2023) and the EASL Congress 2023, Doctor Elisabetta Bugianesi from the Department of Digestive Internal Medicine at the University of Turin, Italy, urged the public to take NAFLD seriously. She provided a detailed overview of lifestyle interventions as a key means of preventing and treating NAFLD, sharing the latest research evidence, guideline recommendations, and future strategies. Hepatology Digest has compiled this report for the benefit of its readers.
Dr. Jinlin Hou and Dr. Fan Rong’s Team: The Joint Application of aMAP Score and LSM Provides a New Strategy for Liver Fibrosis Assessment in Untreated

Dr. Jinlin Hou and Dr. Fan Rong’s Team: The Joint Application of aMAP Score and LSM Provides a New Strategy for Liver Fibrosis Assessment in Untreated

The assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is of significant importance for initiating antiviral treatment and evaluating treatment efficacy. Serum models represented by Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) and aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) exhibit inconsistent diagnostic performance for liver fibrosis in different study populations. Moreover, there is controversy regarding whether the dynamic changes in liver stiffness measurement (LSM) during antiviral treatment can predict fibrosis reversal. Therefore, new models or indicators are still needed for fibrosis assessment in CHB patients before and after antiviral treatment.
Dr. Huiguo Ding: AMMON-OHE Model for Risk Stratification of Outpatient Cirrhosis Patients for Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy

Dr. Huiguo Ding: AMMON-OHE Model for Risk Stratification of Outpatient Cirrhosis Patients for Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy

The occurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) in cirrhosis patients leads to a decrease in their health-related quality of life, along with a significant increase in the risk of hospitalization and death. At the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL 2023) and the EASL Congress 2023, Dr. María Pilar Ballester and her team from the Clinical Hospital of the University of Valencia in Spain introduced a new model for assessing the risk of OHE in outpatient cirrhosis patients - the AMMON-OHE model, which can effectively predict the risk of the first episode of OHE. Dr Huiguo Ding's team from Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing You'an Hospital, invited by Hepatology Digest, reviewed this research for readers to learn and reference.
AASLD Interview | Professor Fengmin Lu: Exploring Interferon Cure Advantages in Chronic Hepatitis B, Delving into Mechanisms to Guide New Drug Development

AASLD Interview | Professor Fengmin Lu: Exploring Interferon Cure Advantages in Chronic Hepatitis B, Delving into Mechanisms to Guide New Drug Development

At the just-concluded Annual Summit of Hepatology, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD2023), Professor Fengmin Lu's team from Peking University presented three contributions (1 oral presentation and 2 posters), focusing on the mechanisms related to chronic HBV infection. Their research revealed populations benefiting from interferon therapy in chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) and explored potential new targets for curing. "Hepatology Digest" has specially invited Professor Fengmin Lu to interpret the research findings, their significance and implications for future scientific research or clinical practice, and to envision the prospects for functional cure among the CHB population in our country.
AASLD Interview | Professor Vincent Wai-Sun Wong: Global Differences and New Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)

AASLD Interview | Professor Vincent Wai-Sun Wong: Global Differences and New Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)

In his research, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong performs multidisciplinary study on Steatohepatitis and Fatty liver. Fatty liver is frequently linked to Disease in his study. His studies link Steatohepatitis with Disease. His Gastroenterology study frequently links to adjacent areas such as Transient elastography. Transient elastography and Biopsy are commonly linked in his work. He integrates Biopsy and Fibrosis in his studies. Vincent Wai-Sun Wong conducts interdisciplinary study in the fields of Fibrosis and Inflammation through his research. His work blends Inflammation and Liver disease studies together. In his study, he carries out multidisciplinary Liver disease and Cirrhosis research.
Interview with AASLD President Norah Terrault: A Resurgence of Vitality in the Field of Liver Disease, Highlights Galore at This Year’s Conference

Interview with AASLD President Norah Terrault: A Resurgence of Vitality in the Field of Liver Disease, Highlights Galore at This Year’s Conference

Dr. Norah Terrault is Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases and Neil Kaplowitz Endowed Chair in Liver Diseases Research. She received her MD from the University of Alberta and completed fellowships in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at the University of Toronto and a Masters in Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Terrault has focused her clinical and research activities on viral hepatitis and steatotic liver disease (metabolic and alcohol-associated), especially in special populations including those with cirrhosis and those with transplants. In addition to multiple clinical trials related to preventing and treating chronic hepatitis viral hepatitis and metabolic steatotic liver disease, Dr. Terrault has been PI on multiple NIH-funded studies, including the current NIDDK-supported Liver Cirrhosis Network and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis clinical research network (NASH CRN). She has authored more than 450 peer-reviewed manuscripts, editorials, and invited reviews as well as co-authoring US national guidelines for treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C and alcohol-associated liver disease. She is past associate editor for Hepatology and deputy editor for Liver Transplantation and co-edited Zakim and Boyer’s textbook in hepatology. Dr. Terrault is currently serving as the president of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). She is the founder of USC Project ECHO, a multifaceted program to train and support primary care physicians in California to care for patients with viral hepatitis. She has a long history of mentoring fellows and junior faculty in clinical research and is passionate about creating research support and opportunities for the next generation of GI/Hepatology investigators.
AASLD Hot Topic | Dr. Zhihong Liu of Southern Hospital: Hepatitis B Expanded Treatment, Simplified Treatment, and Progress in Functional Cure Drugs

AASLD Hot Topic | Dr. Zhihong Liu of Southern Hospital: Hepatitis B Expanded Treatment, Simplified Treatment, and Progress in Functional Cure Drugs

The AASLD (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases) 2023 conference was held in Boston, USA, from November 10th to 14th, marking a significant event in the field of hepatology. Hepatology Digest's reporting team was fortunate to invite Dr. Zhihong Liu from the Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology at Southern Hospital of Southern Medical University to share insights from the AASLD and discuss the work presented by his team at the conference, along with their learning experiences.
Prediction of HVPG Score for TACE Treatment Outcome in Liver Cancer Based on CT Deep Learning Model

Prediction of HVPG Score for TACE Treatment Outcome in Liver Cancer Based on CT Deep Learning Model

From November 10 to 14, 2023, the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD 2023) was held in Boston, USA. The CHANCE-CHESS series research results, led by Academician Gaojun Teng, President of the Interventional Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Director of the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, and founder of CHANCE, as well as Professor Xiaolong Qi, Assistant Director of the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University and head of CHESS, were orally presented at the conference.
AASLD Interview | Dr. Jian Wu’s Research Group at Fudan University Shanghai Medical College Shares Highlights and Insights from AASLD 2023

AASLD Interview | Dr. Jian Wu’s Research Group at Fudan University Shanghai Medical College Shares Highlights and Insights from AASLD 2023

Since 1997, Professor Jian Wu's research group at Fudan University Shanghai Medical College has been actively participating in the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD 2023). This year, the research group has had four abstracts selected for poster presentations and one abstract chosen for an oral presentation in a thematic session. The selected abstracts primarily focus on three main topics: the molecular basis of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma; the molecular mechanisms of the JCAD protein in liver fibrosis and regeneration; and the mechanisms by which gut microbiota-derived metabolites promote the progression of chronic liver disease. "Hepatology Digest" had the privilege of inviting Dr. Jian Wu to the conference to discuss the research findings and their significance, share insights and advice on scientific research, and talk about the topics and experiences that caught his interest during the conference. The interview video and summaries of the five research presentations are provided below.