Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Gallstone Disease Interactions
Summary
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Gallstone Disease frequently coexist, reflecting overlapping metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and obesity. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis and fibrosis, while gallstones result from altered bile composition and gallbladder dysmotility. Both conditions share common pathophysiological drivers, including hepatic lipid accumulation, low-grade inflammation and cholesterol supersaturation. Emerging evidence indicates a bidirectional relationship: NAFLD increases the risk of gallstone formation, and gallstones or their surgical removal (cholecystectomy) may exacerbate hepatic steatosis and progression to fibrosis. Molecular mediators such as nuclear receptors and growth factor pathways have come to the fore, alongside non-invasive predictors of liver damage in cholelithiasis patients. Understanding these interactions is crucial given the global rise in metabolic disease and the potential for combined diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to mitigate long-term morbidity.
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Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Gallstone Disease Interactions publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and gallstone disease interactions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Spectrum of liver injury characterised by fat accumulation in hepatocytes in the absence of significant alcohol intake.
Gallstone Disease: Formation of cholesterol or pigment stones within the gallbladder, often linked to supersaturation of bile and gallbladder hypomotility.
Cholecystectomy: Surgical removal of the gallbladder, commonly performed to treat symptomatic gallstones.
Fibrosis: Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix in the liver, indicating progression from simple steatosis to more advanced liver injury.
Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 (FGFR4): A receptor tyrosine kinase involved in regulating bile acid homeostasis and lipid metabolism in hepatocytes.
References
- Bidirectional Association between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Gallstone Disease: A Cohort Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine (2018).
- Gallstones increase the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver: A case‐control study. Health Science Reports (2024).
- Molecular Mechanisms Involved in MAFLD in Cholecystectomized Patients: A Cohort Study. Genes (2023).
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