Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Liver Disease
Summary
Chronic liver disease exerts a profound and multifaceted impact on health-related quality of life, affecting physical capacity, emotional well-being and social participation. Patients frequently experience debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, pruritus and pain, alongside mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Disease progression—from simple steatosis through fibrosis to cirrhosis—invariably amplifies symptom burden and diminishes daily functioning. Quality of life is routinely measured using generic instruments (for example, the Short Form 36) and disease-specific tools (notably the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire), enabling clinicians to monitor patient-reported outcomes over time. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, driven by obesity and metabolic dysfunction, now represents the most prevalent aetiology worldwide and carries a distinctive psychosocial burden. Integrating routine assessment of quality of life into clinical practice informs therapeutic decision-making, supports personalised lifestyle interventions and provides essential end points for emerging pharmacotherapies. A multidisciplinary strategy that addresses both hepatic pathology and its psychological ramifications is critical to improving overall well-being in this growing patient population.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Liver Disease publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in health-related quality of life in chronic liver disease across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL): A multidimensional measure of well-being encompassing physical, mental and social health aspects.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A spectrum of liver pathology characterised by excess fat deposition in the absence of significant alcohol intake.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): An advanced form of NAFLD marked by hepatic inflammation and progressive fibrosis.
Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): A term emphasising the metabolic origin of fatty liver disease, replacing previous nomenclature for broader clinical context.
Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ): A validated questionnaire assessing symptoms and functional impact in chronic liver disease.
Cytokeratin 18 (CK18): A serum marker of hepatocellular apoptosis, indicative of liver cell injury and fibrotic progression.
References
- Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is associated with impairment of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). Health and Quality of Life Outcomes (2016).
- Health-related quality of life burden of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a robust pragmatic literature review. Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes (2018).
- The Impact of Liver Cell Injury on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease. PLOS ONE (2016).
- Diagnostic indicators and lifestyle interventions of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease. Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
- Persons with metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease are at increased risk of severe depression. Liver International (2024).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.