Timothy Gray, PhD, JAMA Network
The designation “nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)” is no longer accepted across JAMA and the JAMA Network journals, except to reflect the language used in data collection for a study (or search terms for a review).
The directive is based on the recommendations of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the European Association for the Study of the Liver, as well as the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver.
In collaboration with hepatologists, gastroenterologists, pediatricians, endocrinologists, hepatopathologists, public health and obesity experts, colleagues from industry, regulatory agencies, and patient advocacy organizations, a consensus was developed via the Delphi process for a change in nomenclature.1
The term chosen to replace NAFLD is “metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).” In the previous designation, the term nonalcoholic may have been confusing for patients and physicians. The word fatty also has stigmatizing and negative connotations.
The same committee process resulted in another designation change that will be implemented across JAMA and the JAMA Network journals. The designation “nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)” is now called “metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH)” to avoid trivializing the diseases or confusing patients with the possible connotations of the term nonalcoholic.2
It is hoped that these updates will clarify what the diseases are instead of what they are not.
The AMA Manual of Style has added these abbreviations and expansions to the list of clinical terms in chapter 13.11.
References
- Rinella ME, Lazarus JV, Ratziu V, et al. A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature. Hepatology. 2023;78:1966-1986.
- Eskridge W, Cryer DR, Schattenberg JM, et al. Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis: the patient and physician perspective. J Clin Med. 2023;12(19):6216.
May 24, 2024.