Introduction on The Role of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Cardiovascular Disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent chronic liver disease in western countries.1,2 It is closely associated with obesity, diabetes, dyslipidaemia and the metabolic syndrome, and shares common risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms with these entities.2,3 NAFLD can be associated with hepatocellular damage and inflammation and is then called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).4 Other than the associated liver-related morbidity and mortality, it has become clear that NAFLD is also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The link between NAFLD and CVD can in part be explained by the common risk factors that they share. However, evidence is increasing that NAFLD is an aetiological factor contributing to the development of CVD, independently of classical known risk factors for the latter.5,6 In this review we briefly summarise the current clinical evidence on the role of NAFLD in CVD and discuss the potential mechanisms by which NAFLD can be linked to the pathophysiology of CVD.