Ambulatory Liver Fat Monitoring in Patients With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Summary

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 25% of the global population and causes serious complications, including cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma or mortality. Unfortunately, there are not yet any approved drugs to treatment NAFLD. The only effective means to improve NAFLD is by weight reduction via lifestyle modifications, i.e., diet and physical activity. Most NAFLD patients lack the motivation to initiate and maintain lifestyle modifications. The investigators hypothesize that ambulatory monitoring of liver fat can help NAFLD patients lose more liver fat by motivating them to gain a sense of control over their condition.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* patients with known NAFLD (diagnosed by ultrasonography or other forms of imaging; transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter \>248 dB/m; or liver biopsy) who are managed in the Liver Clinics of Queen Mary Hospital or Tung Wah Hospital
* aged 18-65 years
* without major cognitive impairment - since these subjects would be given simple instructions on using the ambulatory device to measure liver fat at home by themselves

Exclusion Criteria:

* on SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, or thiazolidinediones due to their prominent effects on body weight changes
* patients with cirrhosis (defined by imaging features of nodular liver and evidence of portal hypertension, liver stiffness \>13 kPa, endoscopically proven gastroesophageal varices, or histological features), with or without ascites
* patients who are pregnant
* patients on special diet or with special dietary requirement (e.g., vegan, gluten free) heavy alcohol use (≥20 grams/ day for women or ≥30 grams/ day for men)
* history of HCC, hepatic resection, or LT
* patients with damaged skin on the abdomen, as this will affect the assessment by the ambulatory liver fat device
* patients with implanted electronic devices
* patients with spinal diseases/ discomfort
* patients with metallic implants

Conditions2

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