Fatty Liver Cases Double in Argentina: Experts Warn of Silent Killer Disease
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Experts at the Hospital de Clínicas of the UBA are warning about a significant increase in fatty liver disease cases in Argentina.
- Fatty liver is now the second leading cause of liver transplants in the country, driven by metabolic and behavioral factors like alcohol consumption and obesity.
- The condition is often asymptomatic in its early stages, making early detection difficult and posing a serious public health challenge.
Hígado graso: por qué se duplicaron las consultas médicas en los últimos 5 años, según expertos
On the occasion of World Liver Day, specialists at the Hospital de Clínicas of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) have sounded the alarm regarding a concerning shift in hepatic diseases within Argentina. Fatty liver disease, once a less prominent concern, has seen a sustained increase in national health centers, now standing as the second leading cause for liver transplants in the country. This surge is attributed to a combination of metabolic and behavioral factors, including excessive alcohol consumption and the pervasive issues of overweight and obesity.
Fatty liver is an abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver (greater than 5%) that is strongly associated with excessive alcohol consumption and being overweight.
Dr. Esteban González Ballerga, head of the Gastroenterology Division at the Hospital de Clínicas, describes fatty liver as an "abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver (greater than 5%)." He emphasizes the insidious nature of the disease, labeling it a "silent killer" because its manifestations often appear only in advanced stages. This lack of early symptoms presents a significant challenge for timely diagnosis and intervention. In its non-alcoholic variant, a staggering 90% of cases are linked to obesity and diabetes, underscoring the critical role of lifestyle in the disease's prevalence.
The implications of this trend extend beyond individual health, positioning fatty liver disease as a major public health issue. In the United States, excess fat is the primary cause of liver transplants, and Argentina follows closely behind. Data from the Argentine Society of Hepatology Observatory reinforces this concern, indicating that fat accumulation is among the leading causes of end-stage liver disease. This situation demands increased public awareness, preventative health strategies, and accessible diagnostic tools to combat the growing burden of fatty liver disease in Argentina.
It is a silent killer, because the manifestations appear in advanced stages.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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