We call it “the great silent enemy.” And to top it off, it affects Hispanics quite a bit.
A study by the University of Texas concluded that the propensity to develop hepatic steatosis, the scientific name, differs among ethnic groups: Hispanics have the highest frequency (45%) in the urban population of the US.
Hispanics also have a higher prevalence of steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Why? Currently, it is unknown.
Factors that promote fat deposition in the liver include obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and alcohol intake.
Our large laboratory is capable of storing, synthesizing, and eliminating biochemical processes. There is a classification of fatty liver, which is not related to alcohol consumption. There are two types, a simple one, which is fat in the liver, without an inflammatory process, and another where the sequence of three stages begins to unfold until fibrosis, which is when it becomes hard, cirrhotic, and small. And finally, cancer.
The causes listed include obesity, overweight, and high cholesterol levels. Apart from that, medications such as corticosteroids or a history of viruses such as hepatitis C. Also a diet high in fat, flour, and sugar.
Diagnosis of fatty liver is asymptomatic. It is discovered during a routine clinical evaluation with the primary physician. As part of the screening, you will likely have an ultrasound, which remains the most sensitive study for detecting the disease. With a physical examination, the doctor can detect whether the liver is enlarging, as well as check whether your eyes are yellow.
There is currently no specific treatment. However, lifestyle changes, hepatoprotective vitamins, and weight loss are always necessary.
At least, you should visit your doctor every three months, with ultrasound monitoring, to check that the disease is not progressing. There are also liver elastography studies, which is the famous Fibrascam. A non-invasive test, without a biopsy, to determine if the fat in the liver is causing some type of fibrosis or if there is a risk of cancer.