iD-MAFLD V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The role of leucocyte metabolism and signaling in metabolic-associated (non-alcoholic) fatty liver disease
IRAS ID
291288
Contact name
Simon Rushbrook
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Non-alcoholic or metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) covers a spectrum of pathology from fat accumulation in the liver, to inflammation and advanced scarring. MAFLD places patients at risk of liver cancer, and is strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome (MetS), comprising obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and coronary heart disease. MAFLD affects 1/3 of most populations and is rising non-linearly, rapidly becoming a leading cause of chronic liver disease and transplantation worldwide.
Not all patients with fatty liver progress to cirrhosis, and there are diagnostic and economical challenges in understanding which patients require close monitoring for disease progression. Respectively, these challenges involve inability to follow up a third of the adult population and the lack of ability of non-invasive tests to identify the presence of inflammation and to predict the risk of progression to liver or heart disease.
Given our evolving understanding of the interplay between various factors in determining the risk of liver inflammation and progression to liver scarring or heart disease, optimal assessment would include a knowledge of relevant genetic polymorphisms, metabolic profile, immune profile and the stage of liver scarring. Our previous study identified key immunometabolic regulatory points that enlighten our understanding of MAFLD pathology and we plan to use this study to validate these molecular pathways, further define potential targets for drug or dietary interventions, and develop mechanism-based biomarkers of disease progression and clinical prognosis.REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/EE/0280
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jan 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion