In cases of grade 2 fatty liver disease, the amount of fat accumulation can account for up to 20% of the liver's weight, accompanied by a remarkable decrease in many liver functions. This stage is considered a transitional phase between mild fatty liver disease (grade 1) and severe fatty liver disease (grade 3). Without timely treatment, the condition may lead to severe complications, including liver cancer.
This post was written under the professional supervision of physicians belonging to the Gastroenterology - Hepatology Department at Vinmec International General Hospital.
1. What is fatty liver disease?
Fatty liver is common in modern society. It is also a life-threatening condition, especially for obese individuals.
Similar to other organs in the human body, the liver contains a certain amount of fat, known as the safe threshold. In a healthy liver, fat makes up about 3-5% of the liver's weight, allowing it to function normally. However, when this fat accumulates excessively, the liver becomes fatty and can cause many clinical conditions.
In a clinical setting, fatty liver is divided into three different grades.
Grade 1: This is the initial stage of the disease which is at a mild level. Common mild symptoms include fatigue, reduced appetite, and sometimes unexplained abdominal pain. These symptoms often appear when the body is overworked or prolonged exertion. Since the symptoms are not noticeable, the condition is mostly detected during regular health check-ups. Detecting the disease at this stage enables faster and more effective treatment, reducing the risk of complications.
Grade 2: The amount of fatty accumulation accounts for 10 - 20% total liver’s weight when the disease reaches stage 2. Patients usually feel fatigue, abdominal pain or pain when pressing on the liver region. When suffering these signs, patients should visit the medical doctor for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Grade 3: Patients appear with symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), and frequent pain in the right upper quadrant. At this stage, the disease has has progressed to an advanced stage.
Without timely treatment, fatty liver easily leads to life-threatening complications like liver failure, fibrosis and even cancer.
2. What is the cause of fatty liver?
Alcohol is the most common cause of fatty liver disease, but it is not the only contributing factor. Even non-drinkers can develop this condition due to an unhealthy diet, which increases fat production in the body and leads to fat accumulation in the liver. In addition, obesity, high blood fat levels, diabetes, genetics, and rapid weight loss and some medications like Aspirin, Steroids can also contribute to the development of fatty liver disease.
3. Is grade 2 fatty liver dangerous?
Hepatitis, liver fibrosis and even liver cancer are the serious complications of grade 2 fatty liver if if not treated in time.. Therefore, to reduce these associated disorders, patients need to be diagnosed promptly to receive early treatment in order to improve the conditions.
Grade 2 fatty liver is considered as a transitional stage of mild and severe levels. Although there is still a possibility of recovery, it is not very high. Additionally, the level of recovery depends on the time of diagnosis, the stage of disease. If the condition processes to grade 3, there is a significant reduction of recovery ability.
In addition, patients should be aware that although grade 2 fatty liver disease is not life-threatening, if left untreated, it can easily progress to stage 3 and lead to serious complications.
4.1 Blood testing
Elevated liver enzymes are a criterion used to diagnose hepatitis and can be detected through blood tests. However, blood tests alone are not sufficient to diagnose fatty liver disease. In addition to blood tests, doctors need to recommend other tests to make a more accurate diagnosis.
4.2 Ultrasound and liver biopsy
To accurately diagnose grade 2 fatty liver, medical doctors usually use ultrasound and liver biopsy.
Ultrasound: The white spots indicate the presence of fat in the liver. In addition, MRI and CT are able to detect fatty mass in the liver.
Biopsy: Medical doctors use the fine needle to puncture the damaged liver regions. With professional techniques, doctors will find the exact locations of damaged regions. This procedure not only helps in detecting the disease but also assists in identifying the underlying cause, allowing for the development of an effective treatment plan.
5. Treatment
Early detection is a key for effective treatment of all diseases, including fatty liver. Specifically, the treatment regimen commonly applied includes:
5.1 Medications
Nowadays, there is no specific medication for treatment of fatty liver. Thus, doctors usually use medications which reduce the fat accumulation, including:
- Medications that support lipoprotein metabolism in the body.
- Choline supplements, which help enhance nutrients, detoxify, and break down fat in the liver.
- Medications containing amino acids, which help maintain and restore liver cells and liver function.
- Vitamins E, B, and C help dissolve fat in the liver, prevent fatty infiltration, protect liver cells, and in treatment..
- To treat grade 2 fatty liver disease, patients need to follow a healthy diet and do exercise regularly.
5.2 Lifestyle changes
A healthy lifestyle not only prevents but also reduces the processing of disease.
- To enhance liver function, patients are advised to consume:
- Vegetables and foods that have cooling properties, help detoxify, and reduce heat.
- Herbal teas such as green tea, Phyllanthus niruri (Chanca piedra), and others.
- Limit consumption of liver-damaging beverages like alcohol, beer, and carbonated drinks.
- Avoid fried, oily, spicy food.
In addition, doing exercise alo plays a crucial role in preventing and treating grade 2 fatty liver. The sports like yoga, walking…are chosen depending on the patient's conditions.
6. Who is susceptible to fatty liver?
Grade 2 fatty liver disease is commonly found in certain individuals, such as:
- Servere drinkers (frequently consume alcohol and stimulant with high dose)
- Those who frequently consume fast food and processed foods.
- The elderly
- Those with medical history of liver diseases
- Obese and overweight
7. How to prevent the disease?
Effective preventive measures for fatty liver disease have been proposed by scientists based on the causes of the disease, including:
- Limit consumption of alcohol, beer and carbonated beverages.
- Ensure the balance of nutrient components in each meal, and reduce consumption of fat. Besides that, vegetables should be added in daily meals.
- Reduce sweeties
- Do exercise
- Do routine health check-up
In general, while grade 2 fatty liver disease is a serious condition, it can be prevented and managed by adjusting dietary and lifestyle habits. We hope that this article has provided useful knowledge about fatty liver disease and how to prevent and treat it effectively.
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