One of the most important challenges facing Fatty Liver stakeholders involves improving early diagnosis for patients with clinically relevant or advanced fibrosis (F2/3). Today, a significant percentage of patients learn they are living with cirrhosis in the Emergency Department during a decompensating event. Four in ten of these patients in the UK do not leave the hospital. Episode 39 reviewed a model that Ian Rowe and Richard Parker developed to determine the most cost-effective strategy for F2/3 diagnosis.
This conversation centers around challenges related to early diagnosis and NASH Patient Management. As Roger Green notes, listeners to NASH Tsunami might recall a significant number of conversations in which patients and advocates complain about doctors telling them "not to worry" about their Fatty Livers for years until the condition progresses to cirrhosis. Louise Campbell focuses on a different challenge: that of NASH patient management when patients are dealing with other metabolic diseases that are better known or where approved treatments exist.