Determining the role for uric acid in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis development and the utility of urate metabolites in diagnosis: An opinion review

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 26; no. 15; pp. 1683 - 1690
• Main Authors: Brennan, Paul, Clare, Kathleen, George, Jacob, Dillon, John F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 21-04-2020
• Subjects: Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - metabolism; Humans; Hyperuricemia - blood; Hyperuricemia - complications; Hyperuricemia - diagnosis; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - blood; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - diagnosis; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - etiology; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - metabolism; Opinion Review; Uric Acid - blood; Uric Acid - metabolism; Fatty liver index; Uric acid; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; Non-invasive fibrosis markers; Urate
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/WJG.V26.I15.1683

There has long been a recognised association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the composite aspects of the metabolic syndrome. Part of this association highlighted the supposed co-existence of elevated uric acid levels in those with NAFLD. There is interest in exploitation of this as a putative diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in NAFLD. Given the increased economic and health burden associated with the NAFLD epidemic, improved methods of population-based, minimally-invasive methods and biomarkers are clearly highly sought and necessary. In this opinion review we review the proposed role of uric acid in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and its potential utilisation in the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease process.