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In the Season 3 NAFLD Year-in-Review conversations series, Surfers Jörn Schattenberg, Louise Campbell and Roger Green embark on a string of interviews with a handful of Key Opinion Leaders who made headlines and advances in Fatty Liver disease in 2022. In this exclusive segment, Naim Alkhouri joins Louise and Roger to discuss drugs, NITs, digital diagnostics and the importance of preventing pediatric and adolescent NAFLD.

Naim begins by highlighting the FDA approval of the ELF test, which has assisted him in the risk stratification of patients who fall in the indeterminant zone. He then underscores an impressive spate of positive moments from the year, touching on AASLD presentations and guidance documents, and clinical trial results and the implications for NASH therapeutics. After expanding on developments in digital diagnostics, Naim points to how this improves screening for the diabetic population and ultimately can further prevent disease progression. Louise prompts comments around the availability and efficacy of FIB-4. Naim suggests that outside of special patient populations at elevated risk for liver disease, FIB-4 poses limitations to be addressed. The conversation continues on the subjects of lifestyle interventions and the alarming prevalence of NAFLD in younger populations. Naim points out that with 15% of children and 25% of adolescents and young adults having NAFLD, treating fatty liver is a preventative measure against diabetes. He states he would like to design and execute a clinical trial that further investigates this relationship.

The group next explores the idea of preventative hepatology and the bigger picture role of primary care in combating NAFLD.  As the conversation winds down, they discuss elements of emerging drug developments and closing thoughts on the momentous year. Surf on for more takeaways from what is an infectiously optimistic and compelling interview. As he usually does, Naim covers a tremendous amount of intellectual territory clearly and concisely in not that much time.