Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in cerebrovascular disease: a bystander or a real risk factor?

Excerpt

Over the past decade, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged to become one of the most common causes of decompensated cirrhosis, and the leading primary liver disease etiology for liver transplantation. Although NAFLD is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, its association with cerebrovascular disease is less conclusive. Furthermore, the risk factors that are associated with the development of NAFLD, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension, are similar to those that increase the risk of cerebrovascular events. Although the association between NAFLD and cerebrovascular events has been reported, whether NAFLD is a true independent risk factor for strokes or a mere consequence of the shared metabolic risk factors remains to be determined. …