What is fatty liver? Fatty hepatosis (fatty infiltration of the liver): diagnosis, treatment and prevention

The development of chronic liver diseases, especially of a metabolic nature, is often accompanied by the appearance of fatty hepatosis in a patient. At the same time, such a condition can also be of a primary nature, arising in a patient without previous factors.

Metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, and excessive consumption of ethyl alcohol lead to the accumulation of fats in the liver tissue, which impair its function. Fatty infiltration does not show clinical symptoms for a long time, which makes it difficult to diagnose and prescribe effective therapy.

The pathological condition, accompanied by the replacement of normal hepatic tissue with adipose tissue, is called fatty hepatosis. At the same time, both inside the cells and in the intercellular substance, small droplets of fat accumulate, capable of merging into larger formations.

Such changes often accompany alcoholic liver disease, being its first morphological changes. The progression of NAFLD leads to the development of liver failure due to the subsequent formation of cirrhosis.

In modern medicine, steatosis of the liver in patients is becoming more common, and not only in people suffering from alcohol dependence. At the same time, such changes in the liver tissue increase the risk of developing not only cirrhosis, but also other diseases, primarily of the organs of the cardiovascular, endocrine system, digestive tract, etc.

The main cause of fatty degeneration of the liver is the effect of ethyl alcohol on the cells of the organ. At the same time, there is a dependence of liver damage on the dose and duration of alcohol consumption.

In addition, an important factor in fatty hepatosis is diabetes mellitus, as it is accompanied by lipid metabolism disorders and an increase in the amount of triglycerides formed in hepatocytes. With an excess of these fatty molecules, they begin to be deposited in cells, disrupting their function.

An additional risk factor is obesity, which leads to a violation of the body's sensitivity to insulin. The resulting excess of the hormone provokes changes in lipid metabolism, causing an increase in the fatty acids formed in the liver cells, which are deposited in them, forming fat vacuoles.

In addition to diabetes, other diseases of the endocrine system, as well as metabolic changes in thyrotoxicosis, Cushing's syndrome, copper metabolism disorders, oncological diseases, etc. lead to fatty hepatosis.

In this regard, the most important role in the development of steatosis is played by the formation of insulin resistance in humans, regardless of the reasons for its formation.

At the same time, it is not always possible to identify the primary factor in the formation of lipid degeneration, which in some cases leads to difficulty in diagnosing and selecting treatment to eliminate this problem.

Types and manifestations of the disease

Fatty infiltration is usually divided into two main types: alcoholic fatty degeneration of the liver and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The latter type of the disease is rare - about 10% of all cases of lipid changes in hepatocytes.

Fatty changes in the liver are also divided depending on the causative factors:

Lipids are deposited in hepatocytes in different ways. Depending on this, experts distinguish the following forms of steatosis in patients:

Identification of a specific form of the disease plays an important role in the appointment of subsequent treatment, since an important element of therapy is the elimination of the causative factor of the disease in order to stop its progression.

Making an accurate diagnosis is a difficult task, since clinical symptoms in patients are often absent even with pronounced changes in the liver. The presence of manifestations of concomitant pathology in patients, for example, diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, etc., slows down the diagnostic process.

Patients may present the following complaints:

feeling of discomfort in the abdomen;
pain in the liver;
general weakness, fatigue;
dyspeptic symptoms in the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation;
slight yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
pain on palpation of the liver.

If liver damage is abundant, then patients experience additional symptoms in the form of various hemorrhages, drops in blood pressure and fainting. These clinical manifestations are associated with the formation of a large number of foci of liver necrosis, which is formed in altered liver cells.

Diagnostic measures

The main difficulty in diagnosing is the absence of specific complaints in the patient, which makes it possible to suspect steatohepatosis in the patient. However, a timely consultation with a gastroenterologist allows timely conduct of additional examination methods aimed at studying the state of the liver tissue.

A biochemical blood test to determine the level of AST and ALT reveals their increase several times. It is important to remember that if the concentration of liver enzymes is normal, then this does not exclude fatty infiltration. The task of the doctor in the diagnostic process is to exclude other pathologies of the liver.

All patients are shown an enzyme immunoassay or polymerase chain reaction to determine antibodies or genetic material of hepatitis viruses, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, etc. Each patient should determine the concentration of thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood, as well as investigate markers of autoimmune aggression against liver cells.

Identification of fatty changes in the liver tissue is possible with the help of ultrasound diagnostics, which allows you to detect a lesion in cases where it captures more than one fourth of the organ.

The most accurate diagnostic method is a biopsy followed by a morphological analysis of the biopsy. A specialist in this type of study detects the replacement of hepatocytes with fat cells, as well as fibrosis, inflammatory processes in the lobules and minor necrotic changes.

Carrying out magnetic resonance imaging to study the state of the liver allows you to identify diffuse changes in the organ. To detect focal changes, radionuclide scanning methods are used.

Since fatty infiltration is often a secondary disease, the ongoing diagnosis should also be aimed at identifying its cause. For this purpose, various types of research are carried out, both laboratory and instrumental.

In this case, the collection of an anamnesis from the patient, as well as his visual examination, plays an important role. Identification of a history of chronic alcoholism allows in most cases to establish the cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, an external examination easily reveals signs of thyrotoxicosis, obesity, and other diseases of internal organs.

Effective Therapy

Due to the fact that the disease rarely leads to the development of acute conditions, the treatment of steatohepatosis can be carried out both in a hospital setting and on an outpatient basis. An obligatory element of effective therapy is the assessment of the rationality of the patient's nutrition and its adjustment in case of identified violations.

The main task of the diet is to reduce the amount of fat consumed while maintaining a sufficiently high level of proteins, vitamins and elements in food.

Therapy is predominantly conservative complex. It is possible to use lipotropic drugs, for example, Folic acid, vitamin B6, etc., which help to reduce the amount of lipids in the liver cells.

Body weight correction allows you to cope with the existing insulin resistance, which plays an important role in the development and progression of NAFLD. Scientific studies show that the loss of 5% of adipose tissue provides a significant improvement in the main types of metabolism in the patient's body.

When losing weight, it is important to remember that weight loss should not be rapid, since an acute shortage of substances during starvation stimulates fatty degeneration of the liver and can cause liver failure. By changing the diet, the risk of developing stones in the biliary tract and in the gallbladder increases.

In this regard, patients are prescribed Ursosan or other medicines based on ursodeoxycholic acid. A good method of losing adipose tissue is regular exercise, which accelerates the destruction of lipids and increases the sensitivity of insulin receptors.

Lipid-lowering drugs are an important part of the effective treatment of NAFLD. However, when using them, it is important to remember that the safety of using statins (, Rosuvastatin, etc.) in NAFLD has not been confirmed by clinical trials.

Patients are also prescribed antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol, dihydroquercetin), hepatoprotectors (Essentiale Forte, Legalon).

When choosing an individual treatment, it is important to remember that the root cause factor in the formation of hepatosis is also subject to elimination:

If the disease arose against the background of alcohol abuse, then the patient should stop drinking alcoholic beverages to improve the prognosis for the disease.
In case of a primary violation of the function of the organs of the endocrine system, it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist and medicated correction of the work of the endocrine glands, for example, the thyroid gland.

Any medications should always be used only after being prescribed by the attending physician in accordance with the instructions for use. When trying to self-medicate or use untested methods, fatty liver can progress rapidly.

Dmitry: “I have had NAFLD for several years, sometimes my liver hurts. The doctor said to drink Phosphogliv, but I did not. The liver already hurts so much that it also needs to be loaded with drugs. I was advised to drink grapefruit juice, I hope it helps.”

Possible complications and prognosis

The long course of fatty hepatosis before the diagnosis leads to the fact that the identified disease is accompanied by serious damage to the liver tissue. In this regard, improper treatment or its absence can cause the development of the following complications:

followed by cirrhosis. The patient develops chronic insufficiency, as well as symptoms of portal hypertension in the form of vein expansion along the anterior wall of the abdomen and in the esophagus, yellowness of the skin, pain in the right hypochondrium, etc.;
fatty hepatosis, namely dysfunction of the liver cells, can be complicated by the development of inflammatory foci and the formation of hepatitis;
long-term hepatosis and cirrhosis significantly increase the risk of developing hepatocellular cancer.

It is possible to prevent the development of these complications with the help of timely detection of the disease, as well as the selection of a comprehensive treatment aimed not only at the mechanisms of development of fatty hepatosis, but also at its causes.

Restoration of normal liver function is possible in cases where the causes of steatohepatosis are completely eliminated. At the same time, there is a complete restoration of the working capacity and quality of life of patients. For recovery it is necessary:

strictly adhere to the doctor's recommendations regarding nutrition, sports activities;
completely eliminate bad habits from life;
regularly take prescribed medications;
regularly undergo preventive examinations.

Steatosis is commonly referred to as fatty infiltration of the liver. In a literal sense, this is the accumulation of fat in the liver cells. This disease is considered the most common among all hepatoses.

It occurs due to the reaction of the liver to the toxic effects of various kinds. In addition, some diseases and all kinds of pathologies become the cause of this process. It can also develop due to starvation.

Steatosis in mild cases occurs without any pain and may be of short duration. Severe cases of the disease are extremely painful. The mass of the liver sometimes increases to five kilograms, although normally its weight reaches 1.5 kg. Particularly severe cases can lead to liver failure and further death. Fatty infiltration is, in principle, reversible. Treatment today provides for careful observance by the patient of all the doctor's recommendations and a complete rejection of alcohol.

Causes of fatty infiltration of the liver

Pathology most often haunts people who abuse alcohol. Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed, the severity of liver infiltration is observed.

Other causes of fatty liver:

Diabetes;
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
Overdose of medications;
Hunger, malnutrition;
Pesticide poisoning;
Obesity;
Pregnancy;
Systemic diseases.

Symptoms of fatty liver

In many ways, the symptoms depend on the level of liver damage. In the initial stages, the pathology may be completely asymptomatic. In many patients, symptoms include tenderness on palpation and liver enlargement. Standard symptoms of the disease:

swelling;
elevated temperature;
Pain in the right hypochondrium;
Vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite.

Diagnosis of fatty infiltration of the liver

Fatty liver disease can be diagnosed by a qualified physician. He pays special attention to those people who suffer from alcoholism, diabetes, obesity. In addition, when diagnosing, the doctor is based on the presence of standard symptoms for the pathology. To confirm the diagnosis, a blood test and a needle biopsy are performed.

Despite the fact that with fatty hepatosis, the functional state of the organ necessarily decreases, with the help of standard laboratory tests, these violations are almost impossible to confirm. In patients, taking into account the etiology, these or those objective or subjective symptoms that are associated with the underlying disease are often found. For example, fatty degeneration, which develops against the background of chronic alcohol intoxication, is usually characterized by anorexia, shortness of breath and other symptoms. However, the clinical course of the disease is almost asymptomatic. Sometimes patients have complaints of discomfort and heaviness in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, which are aggravated by movement.

Soreness on palpation in the liver area is extremely rare. Its appearance can be associated with the active accumulation of fat in the liver due to alcoholism or decompensation of diabetes mellitus. With fatty hepatosis, the liver is often enlarged, but everything will depend on the underlying pathology. The echogenicity of the liver tissue in the case of fatty hepatosis on ultrasound can be quite normal (rarely increased), but such changes are difficult to distinguish from fibrosis and cirrhosis. Only CT (computed tomography) and magnetic resonance imaging can detect fatty liver in most cases.

During ultrasound, foci in the form of areas of high echogenicity can be detected, during computed tomography, areas with a reduced absorption coefficient are detected. But even in such situations, the diagnosis can only be confirmed by puncture biopsy of the liver under computer control. Over time, lesions may change or disappear, therefore, if studies are carried out in dynamics, especially during treatment, their probable disappearance is not excluded, which is of great diagnostic value.

In this regard, excessive accumulation of fat in the liver can be confirmed only in the case of histological examination of biopsy specimens. When a liver section is stained with eosin or hematoxylan, empty vacuoles are found in hepatocytes, as well as a nucleus displaced to the cell periphery. If fatty degeneration is formed due to alcohol intoxication, then along with drip obesity of liver cells, pericellular fibrosis, neutrophilic infiltration of the intralobular and interlobular sections of the liver, an increase (swelling) of hepatocytes, deposition of Mallory hyaline bodies in the cells begin to form. With fatty degeneration, an increased content of g-glutamyl transpeptidases is often noted in the blood serum, which is probably associated with alcohol abuse.

Alkaline phosphatase and serum transaminase activity is usually slightly elevated, and albumin, bilirubin, and prothrombin levels are often normal.

The fatty liver that appeared against the background of general obesity is one of the most common causes of an increase in the activity of transaminases, and often other manifestations of the metabolic syndrome (hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, etc.).

Fatty degeneration often develops in people without any reason. In any case, sometimes doctors simply cannot find any explainable reason for its formation. Such a disease belongs to the idiopathic (cryptogenic) form.

Treatment of fatty infiltration of the liver

Due to the wide variety of reasons for the development of this disease, the systematization of treatment is very difficult. Treatment is aimed, first of all, at the complete elimination or correction of the cause, due to which fatty infiltration began to develop. For example, a similar pathology caused by alcoholism is treated with a complete rejection of alcohol and proper nutrition. The liver in this case can recover in a month.

If the cause of fatty infiltration of the liver is malnutrition, but you need to follow a special diet that contains the required amount of proteins. In any case, non-aggravating therapy should be carried out with a diet and taking drugs that bring liver function back to normal. Excellent results are demonstrated by the long-term use of Gepabene of plant origin.

Due to this, the formation of bile and bile secretion are stimulated, the functions of the organ are improved. The patient after treatment for some time is recommended to be under medical supervision.

Self-treatment of steatosis

It is worth knowing that fatty infiltration of the liver can be treated very well, but only if the doctor's indications are carefully followed.

A person who suffers from alcoholism should attend periodic meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. In addition, today there are various rehabilitation centers that are focused on helping alcoholics and their families.

In the fight against excess weight, you need to choose and follow a diet that will not limit the patient in nutrients. In addition, when switching to a diet, you need to consult with qualified specialists.

Fatty infiltration of the liver (fatty hepatosis, liver steatosis, fatty degeneration) consists in the accumulation of triacylglycerols in the form of fatty drops in the cytosol and intercellular space of the liver and in the functional impossibility of the cells to remove them.

The main cause of fatty liver is metabolic block of VLDL synthesis. Since VLDL include heterogeneous compounds, the block can occur at different levels of synthesis:

impaired secretion of lipoproteins into the blood- pathology of hepatocyte membranes during activation of lipid peroxidation due to deficiency of antioxidant systems (primarily hypovitaminosis C, A, E, zinc and iron deficiency),
often the cause is relative insufficiency apoproteins and phospholipids with an excess of TAGs: with excessive synthesis of fatty acids from glucose, with the intake of ready-made fatty acids from the blood (unmotivated lipolysis in adipose tissue), synthesis of an increased amount of cholesterol,
lack of apoproteins- lack of protein or essential amino acids in food, exposure to toxins and protein synthesis inhibitors,
decreased synthesis of phospholipids- the absence of lipotropic factors (vitamins, methionine, polyunsaturated fatty acids), due to which the lipoprotein shell is not formed,
assembly block of lipoprotein particles in the EPR when exposed to toxins (for example, chloroform, arsenic, lead),

Principle of treatment

In the treatment of fatty infiltration it is necessary:

reduce the concentration of fatty acids in the blood - increase in physical activity,
ensure the removal of fatty acids from hepatocytes - taking lipotropic factors,
prevent the synthesis of TAG in the liver - a diet with a decrease in fatty and sugary foods, the consumption of complete protein,
with toxic lesions - treatment with hepatotropic drugs.

Obesity

Obesity is an excess of neutral fat in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. There are two types of obesity - primary and secondary.

primary obesity

It is a consequence of an imbalance of energy as a result of hypodynamia and overeating. In a healthy body, the amount of food absorbed is regulated by the adipocyte hormone leptin. Leptin is produced in response to an increase in fat mass in the cell and, ultimately, by reducing the formation of neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus (which stimulates food search), suppresses eating behavior. In 80% of individuals with primary obesity, the hypothalamus is insensitive to leptin, and 20% have a defect in the structure of leptin.

Leptin also increases vascular tone and increases blood pressure.

A typical example low pathogenic obesity serves as the obesity of sumo wrestlers. Despite the obvious excess weight, sumo masters maintain relatively good health for a long time due to the fact that they do not experience hypodynamia, and weight gain is associated exclusively with a special diet enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids. But after the termination of a sports career, in order to maintain health, they have to return weight to universal norms. And, nevertheless, the consequences of the former excess body weight appear with age.

Secondary obesity

Occurs with hormonal diseases. Such diseases include, for example, hypothyroidism, hypercortisolism.

Principle of treatment

In the treatment of obesity, first of all, it is necessary to take into account the fact that any obesity is a matter of balance, i.e. income and expenditure of energy.

increase in physical activity- optimally 3 times a day for 20-30 minutes until a state of slight fatigue, while the load should be aerobic and as the body weight decreases, the intensity of the load should increase,
a diet with a sharp decrease in the amount of sugary foods and saturated fats (dairy products, cheese, butter, lard, fatty meat) with moderate consumption of black bread, cereals, cereals, vegetable oils and fish, the introduction of ω3-series fatty acids into the diet, which facilitate lipolysis ,
available taking biologically active food supplements(BAA) suppressing lipogenesis, stimulating lipolysis and oxidation of fatty acids (citrimax, guarana, L-carnitine), multivitamin and polymineral preparations with mandatory physical activity,
with secondary obesity treatment of the underlying disease.

In the Scottish clinic Maryfield in 1965-1966, patient Angus Barbieri consumed only tea, coffee, soda water and vitamins for 382 days and lost weight from 214.1 kg to 87.4 kg.

non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

The main cause of type II diabetes mellitus is genetic predisposition- in relatives of the patient, the risk of getting sick increases by 50%.

However, diabetes will not occur unless there is a frequent and / or prolonged increase in blood glucose, which occurs with an unbalanced diet. With such a diet, the accumulation of fat in the adipocyte is the "desire" of the body to prevent hyperglycemia. At the same time, inevitable changes in the metabolism and membranes of adipocytes lead to impaired binding of insulin to receptors, develops insulin resistance. Increasing hyperglycemia and compensatory hypersecretion of insulin lead to increased lipogenesis.

At the same time, background (spontaneous) lipolysis in the overgrown adipose tissue causes an increase in the concentration of saturated fatty acids in the blood. These acids are incorporated into the membranes of muscle and fat cells, which also contributes to insulin resistance.

Thus, two opposite processes - lipolysis and lipogenesis- increase and cause the development of type II diabetes mellitus.

The often observed imbalance between the intake of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids also contributes to the activation of lipolysis. Since the lipid droplet in the adipocyte is surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipids, which should contain PUFAs, if the synthesis of phospholipids is disturbed, the access of lipase to triacylglycerols is facilitated and their hydrolysis is accelerated. As a result, the release of saturated fatty acids into the blood increases.

An excess of saturated blood fatty acids easily passes into the thickness of the membranes and lingers here, forming clusters. This changes the properties of the membrane, disrupts ion flows, increases the excitability of cells (for example, smooth myocytes), and impairs the interaction of receptors with their ligands.

Principle of treatment

Treatment of type II diabetes mellitus should include all the same measures as in the treatment of obesity. With high glucose levels, it is necessary to use hypoglycemic agents(glibenclamide, diabetone, etc.)

Muscular exercise increases the number of insulin receptors on myocyte membranes, which reduces blood glucose levels.

Fatty infiltration of the liver is not only a problem for obese people and people who abuse alcohol. People with chronic diseases of the endocrine system, as well as disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, suffer from this disease. Intoxication with carbon tetrachloride, food with synthetic additives that are difficult to neutralize the liver, are among the factors of hepatosis. Steatohepatosis (one synonymous with fatty liver disease) can lead to the infamous cirrhosis and death.

The reasons

Fatty hepatosis is characterized by the accumulation of neutral fat in the liver cells. This is a violation of the metabolism of fats in the liver, which occurs during intoxication with endotoxins or exotoxins, a lack of vitamin-like substances. Occurs for the following reasons:

1) Alcohol intoxication. Ethyl alcohol is a poisonous substance that must be converted and excreted from the body. When the load increases, the liver cannot cope, oxidative stress and fat accumulation in hepatocytes occur.

2) Diseases of the small and large intestines. In intestinal diseases associated with impaired absorption of vitamins or permeability of the wall, the liver also suffers.

If absorption is impaired, as in celiac disease or Crohn's disease, then the intake of vitamins will be difficult. For normal liver function, B vitamins are needed, which will be discussed later.
The second problem after absorption is increased permeability, or "leaky gut" syndrome, in which the pores of the mucosa are enlarged. At the same time, harmful substances enter the portal vein leading to the liver in excess. Accordingly, the load on detoxification is growing.
The third problem of the intestine, which is reflected in the work of the liver, is excessive colonization with bacteria of the small intestine (SIBO). This syndrome develops for various reasons: magnesium deficiency and weakness of the connective tissue, a decrease in the acidity of the stomach, pancreatic insufficiency. With a deficiency of magnesium and weakness of the connective tissue, the valve between the small and large intestines cannot close normally. In the large intestine, the concentration of bacteria is higher than in the small intestine. If the Bauhinian valve does not close, the bacteria of the large intestine enter the small intestine, and specifically, the ileum (ileum). This leads to the growth of microflora in the ileum. With a decrease in the acidity of the stomach, food is not processed properly, microbes multiply. The microflora releases toxins that enter the portal vein and poison the liver. In addition, bacteria convert useful substances (choline, lecithin, betaine, carnitine) into harmful ones (trimethylamine), which affects the metabolism of fat and cholesterol.

3) Cushing's syndrome with hyperfunction of the adrenal glands or when taking steroids, stress. An increase in cortisol leads to an increase in the synthesis of neutral fats.

4) Food additives, especially flavors, drugs, have a complex chemical structure. Therefore, the liver faces the difficult task of neutralizing them.

5) Diabetes mellitus type 2.

Treatment

The liver has a high potential for self-healing. However, she needs help with this. Treatment should be aimed at both eliminating the cause of steatohepatosis and its consequences. Fatty infiltration can be successfully treated with an integrated approach: this is a diet, the use of maintenance drugs and vitamins, general strengthening procedures.

The diet is aimed at obtaining vitamins that regulate metabolism in hepatocytes, as well as at eliminating harmful microflora. The main substances that prevent the accumulation of fat in the liver are cobalamin and folates, choline, lipoic acid, lecithin, betaine, zinc. These are lipotropic substances that help the liver to utilize fat. Choline can be found in cottage cheese, betaine in beets, lipoic acid in cabbage juice. Nutritionists advise eating 200 grams of cottage cheese every day for the treatment of steatohepatosis. Cottage cheese is an easily digestible product (if there is no lactose or casein intolerance), which inhibits rotting in the intestines.

The diet should contain as little as possible refined food, which is food for pathogenic microorganisms, and also disrupts the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. It is necessary to include fiber in the diet, which removes fat and decay products.

Magnesium is used for the inferiority of the bauginian intestinal valve. The macronutrient improves liver function and relaxes the sphincter of Oddi, which regulates the flow of bile into the intestines. In addition, magnesium reduces the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands, which is detrimental to the metabolism of fat in the liver.

An increase in intestinal permeability occurs with the abuse of chocolate, citrus fruits. Allergies affect liver health. Therefore, it is necessary to follow an elimination diet, excluding allergens from food.

Coffee and alcohol are excluded due to their toxicity to hepatocytes. Coffee overloads the enzyme system and raises cortisol levels in the blood. Overeating also harms the liver.

Medications

Fat infiltration is also accompanied by an increased risk of gallstone disease. To reduce the density of bile, bile acid preparations are prescribed: Urdox, Livodex, Henofalk. With hepatosis, digestion is disturbed due to the deterioration of the emulsifying properties of bile, which leads to the growth of microflora in the intestine and aggravation of the pathology. In case of digestive disorders, they resort to the appointment of enzymes (Pancreatin, Ermital).

To restore impaired fat metabolism, preparations of S-adenosylmethionine (Heptral in injections), lipoic acid, Cobalamin injections (in case of malabsorption in the gastrointestinal tract), folic acid are prescribed. Lipotropic compounds are essential phospholipids found in Essentiale.

Probiotics and prebiotics are used to normalize liver function. These are drugs to optimize the intestinal microflora. Lactulose is used in the treatment of liver diseases. Fatty infiltration is an indication for the use of drugs with lactulose (Lactusan, Duphalac).

Physiotherapy exercises normalize fat metabolism in overweight people. Patients should be warned against crosses. Long running puts an increased load on the liver. With obesity, running harms the joints. Physical activity in steatohepatosis should be aimed at improving blood circulation in the abdominal cavity.

Fatty infiltration of the liver is called steatosis. What is it and how to treat it - read on.

Fatty infiltration of the liver is a consequence of the accumulation of triglycerides and other fats in the liver cells. The share of fats in severe cases of infiltration can account for almost 40% of the liver, while only 5% of the liver is considered the norm.

In this case, the entire liver can reach 5 kilograms at a rate of 1.5 kg. In unopened cases, fatty infiltration can be temporary and painless. In the most severe cases, severe pain occurs in the liver, which begins to fail, resulting in the death of the patient.

But nevertheless, fatty infiltration of the liver with careful treatment and refusal of alcohol is a reversible phenomenon.

Reasons for the development of liver infiltration

This disease usually accompanies this, and the severity of infiltration directly depends on the amount of alcohol taken.

What causes liver infiltration?

This pathology often ends with the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity, which is called ascites. At the same time, the person’s hands and chest acquire an unhealthy appearance, become emaciated and lethargic. Malnutrition, especially protein foods, as well as diabetes, obesity, large doses of drugs, prolonged intravenous nutrition, pregnancy, Cushing's and Reye's syndromes also lead to ascites.

Symptoms of fatty liver

Symptoms depend on the severity of liver damage. In the early stages, many people with liver steatosis do not show any symptoms. In some, palpation of the liver increases soreness. The most typical symptoms are: with massive infiltration - pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, with liver damage and a decrease in the functioning of the gallbladder - swelling, fever. Less common are nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite.

Treatment of fatty infiltration of the liver

Treatment consists in eliminating and correcting the causes of liver steatosis. If the reason that caused the infiltration is intravenous long-term nutrition, then you need to reduce the rate of entry of a solution with carbohydrates into the vein, and the situation will improve. If steatosis was the result of alcoholism, then proper nutrition and a complete rejection of alcoholic beverages will put the liver in order within a month. A special diet high in protein may be required.

Thus, if the patient will strictly comply with all prescriptions and recommendations of the doctor.

If a person has diabetes, he and his family should study all the information about the precautions for using insulin injections, as well as exercise and diet;
If you are overweight, you should follow a diet that does not deprive a person of nutrients, especially proteins. When switching to a special diet, it is advisable to receive periodic recommendations from a doctor.