2.1
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the term for a range of conditions caused by a build‑up of fat in the liver. NAFLD develops in 4 stages:
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simple fatty liver (steatosis): a largely harmless build‑up of fat in the liver cells
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non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): build‑up of fat leads to inflammation
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fibrosis: persistent inflammation causes scar tissue to develop in the liver and nearby blood vessels, but the liver still functions normally
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cirrhosis: severe scarring from chronic inflammation, causing permanent damage, which can lead to liver failure and liver cancer.