Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is regarded as the most significant liver disease from the twenty-first century in the Western world. Although its development is surely driven by environmental factors, it is also regulated by genetic background. NAFLD ranges over a wide spectrum, extending from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) which is generally benign, through nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to liver cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and even hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) despite the absence of significant alcohol consumption. The relationship of NAFLD with metabolic alterations such as type 2 diabetes is well described and related to insulin resistance, with NAFLD being recognized as the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. However, NAFLD may also coincide with endocrine diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothyroidism, growth hormone deficiency, or hypercortisolism. It is therefore essential to remember, when discovering altered liver enzymes or hepatic steatosis on radiological exams, that endocrine diseases can cause NAFLD. In the latest years, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) has been associated NAFLD. Experimental evidence suggests that chronic intermittent hypoxia may per whole trigger liver injury, inflammation, and fibrogenesis, and, interestingly, OSAS is also believed to be one of the elements promoting the evolution of NAFLD from steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the complex pathophysiology of NAFLD. Our particular attention is paid to the relationship between NAFLD and endocrine dysfunctions, as well as to NAFLD involvement with OSAS, risk estimation of NAFLD patients for cardiovascular diseases, psychological impairments in NAFLD patients, novelties in the diagnostics and therapy of NAFLD and concomitant diseases, dietary approaches in the NAFLD treatment, and so forth.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Epidemiology
  • NAFLD in general population
  • NAFLD in pediatric population
• Etiology
  • Oxidative stress and NAFLD
  • Genetic background in NAFLD
  • Endocrine causes of NAFLD
• Pathology
  • Determination of nuclear receptors in NAFLD
  • Psychosocial factors in NAFLD pathogenesis
  • Inflammatory markers on NAFLD
  • Insulin resistance and NAFLD
• Diagnosis
  • Noninvasive scoring system for NAFLD prediction
  • MRI elastography accuracy in NAFLD
  • Novel serum biomarkers for NAFLD
  • Histological evaluation of NAFLD
  • Ultrasonography role in NAFLD diagnosis and evaluation
• Comorbidity
  • Comorbidity of NAFLD and OSAS
  • NAFLD and metabolic X syndrome
  • NAFLD and diabetes mellitus type 2
  • NAFLD and chronic kidney disease
  • Cardiovascular diseases and disorders and NAFLD
  • PCO syndrome and NAFLD
• Treatment
  • Life style and dietary interventions in the management of NAFLD
  • Pharmacotherapy of NAFLD
  • Effectiveness of exercise for hepatic fat mobilization in NAFLD
  • Immunological approaches to NAFLD
  • Psychological and psychiatric components in NAFLD treatment
  • Guidelines, ambiguities, and pitfalls of the NAFLD therapy in pediatric patients
  • Effects of bariatric surgery on liver functions and NAFLD