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In yet another topical debut, Surfing NASH explores pediatric and adolescent Fatty Liver disease, its alarming incidence rate and developing the field's understanding around how to treat a vulnerable subpopulation. The Surfers are joined in discussion by Naim Alkhouri and chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Rohit Kohli, for a special session which illuminates a public health crisis intimate to the two extremely knowledgeable guests.

This conversation begins with Louise Campbell’s note that, on average, it takes 17 years for clinical trials to be implemented in real world settings. She asks whether it’s an option to collect noninvasive clinical data and determine whether this alone instigates behavioral change despite it not proving clinical diagnosis. This sparks the panelists to explore ideas around how to effectively introduce lifestyle interventions for children and families at a societal scale. It's noted with unanimous agreement that nutritional matters are family matters. Roger Green adds comments on the influence of school education in trickling information on liver health to homes. Louise asserts that from a cost analysis perspective, screening children with assessments which include liver health can actually suppress or prevent cardiovascular events in the future. This prompts Rohit to describe guidelines that utilize annual physicals with adolescents as an opportunity to track liver health.

At the end of the session, Naim highlights several more recent studies that are developing the field’s understanding of early life risk factors and the natural history of this disease. His final comments consider the implications of prescribing therapies to adolescents progressing in instances where lifestyle interventions fail to halt disease progression.

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Stay Safe and Surf On!