Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2014; 20(31): 10851-10863
Published online Aug 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i31.10851
Noninvasive biomarkers in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Current status and a glimpse of the future
Emer Fitzpatrick, Anil Dhawan
Emer Fitzpatrick, Anil Dhawan, Paediatric Liver, GI and Nutrition Centre, King’s College London School of Medicine at King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9PJ, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Both authors contributed equally to the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Anil Dhawan, Professor, Paediatric Liver, GI and Nutrition Centre, King”s College London School of Medicine at King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9PJ, United Kingdom. anil.dhawan@kcl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44-203-2994408 Fax: +44-203-2994228
Received: November 17, 2013
Revised: February 11, 2014
Accepted: April 21, 2014
Published online: August 21, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: The search for non invasive biomarkers is a major focus of interest in the field of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Though the diagnosis of NAFLD is still a histological one, the dramatic rise in prevalence and the spectrum of severity mean that liver biopsy has become impractical for all. Both serum biomarkers of inflammation and fibrosis and assessment of fibrosis using techniques such as transient elastography may have a role to play. Newer techniques (the “omics”) may not only lead to novel biomarkers but also allow better understanding of the pathophysiology of the condition.