Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children

Obesity is one of the greatest health challenges affecting children of all ages and ethnicities. Almost 19% of children and adolescents worldwide are overweight or obese, with an upward trend in the last decades. These reports imply an increased risk of fat accumulation in hepatic cells leading to a...

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Main Authors: Costanza Renata Neri, Serena Scapaticci, Francesco Chiarelli, Cosimo Giannini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-04-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/9/4822
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author Costanza Renata Neri
Serena Scapaticci
Francesco Chiarelli
Cosimo Giannini
author_facet Costanza Renata Neri
Serena Scapaticci
Francesco Chiarelli
Cosimo Giannini
author_sort Costanza Renata Neri
collection DOAJ
description Obesity is one of the greatest health challenges affecting children of all ages and ethnicities. Almost 19% of children and adolescents worldwide are overweight or obese, with an upward trend in the last decades. These reports imply an increased risk of fat accumulation in hepatic cells leading to a series of histological hepatic damages gathered under the acronym NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). Due to the complex dynamics underlying this condition, it has been recently renamed as ‘Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)’, supporting the hypothesis that hepatic steatosis is a key component of the large group of clinical and laboratory abnormalities of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). This review aims to share the latest scientific knowledge on MAFLD in children in an attempt to offer novel insights into the complex dynamics underlying this condition, focusing on the novel molecular aspects. Although there is still no treatment with a proven efficacy for this condition, starting from the molecular basis of the disease, MAFLD’s therapeutic landscape is rapidly expanding, and different medications seem to act as modifiers of liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis.
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spelling doaj.art-107191ce16264912ad2703db72c78f1d2023-11-23T08:22:43ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-04-01239482210.3390/ijms23094822Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in ChildrenCostanza Renata Neri0Serena Scapaticci1Francesco Chiarelli2Cosimo Giannini3Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, 5, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, 5, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, 5, 66100 Chieti, ItalyDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, 5, 66100 Chieti, ItalyObesity is one of the greatest health challenges affecting children of all ages and ethnicities. Almost 19% of children and adolescents worldwide are overweight or obese, with an upward trend in the last decades. These reports imply an increased risk of fat accumulation in hepatic cells leading to a series of histological hepatic damages gathered under the acronym NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease). Due to the complex dynamics underlying this condition, it has been recently renamed as ‘Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)’, supporting the hypothesis that hepatic steatosis is a key component of the large group of clinical and laboratory abnormalities of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). This review aims to share the latest scientific knowledge on MAFLD in children in an attempt to offer novel insights into the complex dynamics underlying this condition, focusing on the novel molecular aspects. Although there is still no treatment with a proven efficacy for this condition, starting from the molecular basis of the disease, MAFLD’s therapeutic landscape is rapidly expanding, and different medications seem to act as modifiers of liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/9/4822NAFLD and childrenNASH and childrenpediatric MAFLDMetabolic Syndrome (MetS) and childrenhepatic fibrosis in children
spellingShingle Costanza Renata Neri
Serena Scapaticci
Francesco Chiarelli
Cosimo Giannini
Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
NAFLD and children
NASH and children
pediatric MAFLD
Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and children
hepatic fibrosis in children
title Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children
title_full Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children
title_fullStr Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children
title_full_unstemmed Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children
title_short Liver Steatosis: A Marker of Metabolic Risk in Children
title_sort liver steatosis a marker of metabolic risk in children
topic NAFLD and children
NASH and children
pediatric MAFLD
Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and children
hepatic fibrosis in children
url https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/9/4822
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AT serenascapaticci liversteatosisamarkerofmetabolicriskinchildren
AT francescochiarelli liversteatosisamarkerofmetabolicriskinchildren
AT cosimogiannini liversteatosisamarkerofmetabolicriskinchildren