Obesity and Digestive Disease Unit, Medica Sur Clinic and Foundation, Puente de Piedra 150, Toriello Guerra, 14050, Mexico City, Mexico.
Department of Gastroenterology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico.
Ann Hepatol. 2024 May-Jun;29(3):101480. doi: 10.1016/j.aohep.2024.101480. Epub 2024 Feb 12.
Occult liver disease refers to the presence of unrecognized chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Liver disease is currently the eleventh cause of death globally, representing 4% of all deaths in the world. Alcohol consumption is the leading cause of cirrhosis globally, accounting for approximately 60% of cases. The estimated global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is 32.4% and has been steadily increasing over the last years. Viral hepatitis B and C accounted for 1.3 million deaths in 2020. Several studies in populations at high risk of chronic liver disease (elevated liver enzymes, type 2 diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption) have found an elevated prevalence of occult liver disease. Attempts should be made to assess the prevalence of occult liver disease in Latin America, a region with one of the highest rates of metabolic diseases and excessive alcohol consumption. Screening for NAFLD in high-risk subjects and screening for excessive drinking and alcohol use disorders at every level of medical care is relevant. Efforts should also focus on the early treatment of occult liver disease to try to reduce liver disease burden and, in the case of occult viral hepatitis infection, prevent further spreading.
隐匿性肝脏疾病是指未被识别的慢性肝脏疾病和肝硬化。肝脏疾病目前是全球第 11 大死亡原因，占全球所有死亡人数的 4%。在全球范围内，酒精消费是肝硬化的主要原因，约占所有病例的 60%。据估计，全球非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）的患病率为 32.4%，近年来一直在稳步上升。2020 年，乙型和丙型病毒性肝炎导致 130 万人死亡。在慢性肝脏疾病（肝酶升高、2 型糖尿病、过量饮酒）高危人群中进行的几项研究发现，隐匿性肝脏疾病的患病率较高。应该努力评估拉丁美洲（该地区代谢性疾病和过量饮酒发生率最高的地区之一）隐匿性肝脏疾病的流行情况。对高危人群进行 NAFLD 筛查，在各级医疗保健中筛查过度饮酒和酒精使用障碍，这是相关的。还应努力关注隐匿性肝脏疾病的早期治疗，以尽量减轻肝脏疾病负担，并在隐匿性病毒性肝炎感染的情况下，防止进一步传播。
