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Abstract Details
Knowledge of liver fibrosis stage among adults with NAFLD/NASH improves adherence to lifestyle changes
Liver Int. 2022 Feb 26.doi: 10.1111/liv.15209. Online ahead of print.
Patrizia Carrieri1, Abbas Mourad1, Fabienne Marcellin1, Aldo Trylesinski2, José Luis Calleja3, Camelia Protopopescu1, Jeffrey V Lazarus45
Author information
Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France.
Intercept Pharmaceuticals, London, UK.
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro de Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
Background & aims: Though lifestyle interventions can reverse disease progression in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH), unawareness about disease severity might compromise behavioural changes. Data from this first international cross-sectional survey of individuals with NAFLD/NASH were used to identify correlates of both unawareness about fibrosis stage and its association with adherence to lifestyle adjustments.
Methods: Adults with NAFLD/NASH registered on the platform Carenity were invited to participate in an online 20-min, six-section survey in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom to describe their experience with NAFLD/NASH and its care (N = 1411). Weighted binary and multinomial logistic regressions were performed to estimate the effect of explanatory variables on unawareness of fibrosis stage and poor adherence to lifestyle changes respectively.
Results: In the study group, 15.5% had obesity and 59.2% did not know their fibrosis stage. After multiple adjustments, individuals with a body mass index (BMI) ≥35 were over twice as likely to not know their fibrosis stage. People with a BMI >30 had a threefold higher risk of having poor adherence to lifestyle changes. Unawareness about fibrosis stage was also significantly associated with poor adherence to lifestyle adjustments.
Conclusions: As fibrosis stage is becoming the main predictor of NAFLD progression, improving patient-provider communication-especially for people with obesity-about liver fibrosis stage, its associated risks and how to mitigate them, is needed. Training for healthcare professionals and promoting patient educational programmes to support behaviour changes should also be included in the liver health agenda.