Letters To The Editor
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World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2007; 13(18): 2639-2641
Published online May 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i18.2639
Therapeutic strategies for pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A challenge for health care providers
Valerio Nobili, Melania Manco
Valerio Nobili, Melania Manco, Liver Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital and Research Institute, Rome, Italy
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Valerio Nobili, MD, Liver Unit, Research Institute, Bambino Gesu’ Children’s Hospital, S. Onofrio 4 square, Rome 00165, Italy. nobili66@yahoo.it
Telephone: +39-66-8592243 Fax: +39-66-8592192
Received: March 12, 2007
Revised: March 14, 2007
Accepted: March 31, 2007
Published online: May 14, 2007
Abstract

Non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH) is related to insulin resistance and, thus, frequently occurs as part of the metabolic changes that accompany obesity, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. In childhood, the overwhelming boost of obesity and its co-morbidities have lead to the extraordinarily increased prevalence of NASH. Establishing effective therapeutic strategies to treat the disease represents the challenge for hepatologists and gastroenterologists in the next decade. Therapeutic approaches have aimed at treating associated conditions (obesity, insulin resistance, hyperlipemia, etc) or reducing liver oxidative damage (vitamin E).

Keywords: Insulin resistance; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Non alcoholic steato-Hepatitis; Vitamin E, Diet; Thiazolidinediones