Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis B virus infection

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] has rapidly emerged as the most common liver disorder not only in developed countries, but also in the developing countries. This entity encompasses a wide variety of liver abnormalities ranging from plain hepatic steatosis through nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH] to cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]. NAFLD is now recognized as the hepatic manifestation of insulin resistance [IR], and an important marker of the metabolic syndrome [MS]. Although a number of advances have been made in elucidating the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the causation and perpetuation of NAFLD, a great many unanswered questions remain unresolved yet. In view of the involvement of so many different pathways in the pathogenesis, there has always been a speculation regarding the interaction between NAFLD and other liver diseases especially chronic hepatitis C [CHC] and chronic hepatitis B [CHB], because of theubiquitous distribution of NAFLD and its common association with other liver diseases.