Author
Brent A. Neuschwander-Tetri
Other affiliations: University of Pittsburgh, University of Bari, University of Virginia ...read more
Bio: Brent A. Neuschwander-Tetri is an academic researcher from Saint Louis University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease & Steatohepatitis. The author has an hindex of 58, co-authored 183 publications receiving 23528 citations. Previous affiliations of Brent A. Neuschwander-Tetri include University of Pittsburgh & University of Bari.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: There are no systems for grading necroinflammatory activity or for staging fibrosis as exist for various other forms of chronic liver disease and this study proposes a grading and staging system that reflects the unique histological features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
3,553 citations
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Virginia Commonwealth University1, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis2, Virginia Mason Medical Center3, Case Western Reserve University4, Duke University5, University of California, San Francisco6, Saint Louis University7, University of California, San Diego8, Johns Hopkins University9, Washington University in St. Louis10, National Institutes of Health11
TL;DR: Vitamin E was superior to placebo for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in adults without diabetes, and significant benefits of pioglitazone were observed for some of the secondary outcomes.
Abstract: Background Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is a common liver disease that can progress to cirrho sis. Currently, there is no established treatment for this disease. Methods We randomly assigned 247 adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and without dia betes to receive pioglitazone at a dose of 30 mg daily (80 subjects), vitamin E at a dose of 800 IU daily (84 subjects), or placebo (83 subjects), for 96 weeks. The pri mary outcome was an improvement in histologic features of nonalcoholic steato hepatitis, as assessed with the use of a composite of standardized scores for steato sis, lobular inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis. Given the two planned primary comparisons, P values of less than 0.025 were considered to indi cate statistical significance. Results Vitamin E therapy, as compared with placebo, was associated with a significantly higher rate of improvement in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (43% vs. 19%, P = 0. 001), but the difference in the rate of improvement with pioglitazone as compared with placebo was not significant (34% and 19%, respectively; P = 0. 04). Serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferase levels were reduced with vitamin E and with pio glitazone, as compared with placebo (P<0.001 for both comparisons), and both agents were associated with reductions in hepatic steatosis (P = 0. 005 for vitamin E and P<0.001 for pioglitazone) and lobular inflammation (P = 0. 02 for vitamin E and P = 0. 004 for pioglitazone) but not with improvement in fibrosis scores (P = 0. 24 for vitamin E and P = 0. 12 for pioglitazone). Subjects who received pioglitazone gained more weight than did those who received vitamin E or placebo; the rates of other side effects were similar among the three groups. Conclusions Vitamin E was superior to placebo for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in adults without diabetes. There was no benefit of pioglitazone over placebo for the primary outcome; however, significant benefits of pioglitazone were observed for some of the secondary outcomes. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT000 63622.)
2,632 citations
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TL;DR: The research agenda for the future includes establishing the role of insulin resistance and abnormal lipoprotein metabolism in NASH, determining the pathogenesis of cellular injury, defining predisposing genetic abnormalities, identifying better noninvasive predictors of disease, and defining effective therapy.
2,134 citations
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TL;DR: Understanding of pathogenic mechanisms and clinical features of NAFLD is driving progress in therapeutic strategies now in clinical trials and the emerging targets for drug development that involve either single agents or combination therapies intended to arrest or reverse disease progression are discussed.
Abstract: There has been a rise in the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), paralleling a worldwide increase in diabetes and metabolic syndrome. NAFLD, a continuum of liver abnormalities from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), has a variable course but can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Here we review the pathogenic and clinical features of NAFLD, its major comorbidities, clinical progression and risk of complications and in vitro and animal models of NAFLD enabling refinement of therapeutic targets that can accelerate drug development. We also discuss evolving principles of clinical trial design to evaluate drug efficacy and the emerging targets for drug development that involve either single agents or combination therapies intended to arrest or reverse disease progression.
2,004 citations
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Saint Louis University1, University of California, San Diego2, Virginia Commonwealth University3, Columbia University4, Johns Hopkins University5, Duke University6, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis7, Case Western Reserve University8, University of California, San Francisco9, Virginia Mason Medical Center10, Cleveland Clinic11, Washington University in St. Louis12, National Institutes of Health13
TL;DR: Obeticholic acid improved the histological features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, but its long-term benefits and safety need further clarification.
1,798 citations
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TL;DR: A strong scoring system and NAS for NAFLD and NASH with reasonable inter‐rater reproducibility that should be useful for studies of both adults and children with any degree ofNAFLD are presented.
8,253 citations
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TL;DR: The pathophysiology seems to be largely attributable to insulin resistance with excessive flux of fatty acids implicated, and a proinflammatory state probably contributes to the metabolic syndrome.
5,810 citations
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TL;DR: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an increased risk of all-cause death, probably because of complications of insulin resistance such as vascular disease, as well as due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which occurs in a minority of patients.
Abstract: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is present in up to one third of the general population and in the majority of patients with metabolic risk factors such as obesity and diabetes. Insulin resistance is a key pathogenic factor resulting in hepatic fat accumulation. Recent evidence demonstrates NAFLD in turn, exacerbates hepatic insulin resistance and often precedes glucose intolerance. Once hepatic steatosis is established, other factors including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, gut-derived lipopolysaccharide and adipocytokines, may promote hepatocellular damage, inflammation and progressive liver disease. Confirmation of the diagnosis of NAFLD can usually be achieved by imaging studies, however staging the disease requires a liver biopsy. NAFLD is associated with an increased risk of all-cause death, probably because of complications of insulin resistance such as vascular disease, as well as due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which occurs in a minority of patients. NAFLD is also now recognized to account for a substantial proportion of patients previously diagnosed with 'cryptogenic cirrhosis'. Diabetes, obesity and the necroinflammatory form of NAFLD known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, are risk factors for progressive liver disease. Current treatment relies on weight loss and exercise, although various insulin-sensitizing medications appear promising. Further research is needed to identify which patients will achieve the most benefit from therapy.
4,705 citations
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TL;DR: This guidance provides a data-supported approach to the diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive aspects of NAFLD care.
4,431 citations