Clinical features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in Japan: evidence from the literature

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Abstract
Metabolic syndrome, that is, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance with hyperinsulinemia, is a new disease entity prevailing worldwide, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is believed to be a hepatic expression of this syndrome. NASH is characterized by zone 3-dominant hepatic steatosis with ballooned hepatocytes and Mallory bodies, zone 3 pericellular and perivenular fibrosis with or without bridging fibrosis, and lobular inflammatory cell infiltration. Indeed, 90% of NASH has been revealed to be complicated by visceral obesity, and two-thirds of NASH patients fulfill the criteria of metabolic syndrome. Therefore, a variety of lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus may share the same background. NASH is most prevalent and well characterized in Caucasians; however, little is known about its occurrence in Asia-Oceania, because obesity has not been frequent in countries in these areas. Obesity is expected to become a serious social problem in Asia-Oceania in the next two decades, so we need to prevent a corresponding increase of NASH. For that purpose, we need to know much about not only NASH but also ourselves. To elucidate the status of NASH in Japan, recent progress in the study of NASH in Japan is reviewed in this article.