World Liver Day is observed across the world on 19 April to raise awareness about liver diseases. It focuses on educating people about the seriousness, early detection and prevention of liver diseases. According to studies, globally around two million people die every year due to liver diseases. About 70 percent of people in India suffer from visceral fat obesity and 15 percent suffer from fatty liver, with men being more affected than women. The findings are based on data from 7,000 healthy and symptomatic individuals who underwent liver screening at the NURA Health Screening Center over the past year.
Dr Tauseef Ahmed Thangalwadi, Medical Director of NURA, said: “Such a high prevalence of visceral fat obesity and fatty liver in healthy and asymptomatic people is striking. What is even more alarming is that with the detection of fatty liver It was noted in all age groups. Even in people under the age of 25. Of those who had fatty liver, about 2-3 percent also had minimal liver injury.
According to the doctor, certain characteristics put individuals at a higher risk of developing liver diseases, including heavy alcohol consumption, obesity, type 2 diabetes, chronic viral hepatitis, exposure to hepatotoxic substances, and a family history of liver diseases .
Liver disease is a growing concern in India, with a significant burden of morbidity and mortality. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), liver disease is the tenth leading cause of death in India, accounting for 2.4 per cent of all deaths. About 10-15 percent of the population is estimated to have liver disease, with a higher prevalence in rural areas.
The most common types of liver diseases in the country include viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Regarding viral hepatitis, while A and E are food-borne and relatively harmless, B, C and D are blood-borne and can cause liver failure and liver cancer. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the prevalence of hepatitis B and C in India is estimated to be 4-5 percent and 1-2 percent, respectively.
Thangalwadi said: “Early detection of liver diseases is important for effective management. Fortunately, the liver is a very robust organ that can handle minor injuries on its own. Symptoms only arise after a certain amount of damage has been done.” which suggests that liver symptoms should be alleviated.” should always be taken seriously. Some of the early symptoms are fatigue, loss of appetite, and nausea, and vomiting. Other common symptoms of liver disease as it progresses are jaundice, abdominal pain, swelling of the legs and abdomen, and dark urine. , and pale stools.”
Dr Vikram J Rao, Specialty – Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery and GI Oncology, Belenus Champion Hospital – Sarjapur Road, Bengaluru, said: “Over the last century, knowledge about liver regeneration has actually moved from a mythical black box phenomenon to a growing understanding has evolved rapidly.. of the pathways involved in this amazingly complex multistep process.
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Today, liver surgery for malignant and benign diseases is performed routinely and safely. This substantial progress in both resection and transplantation depends on the liver’s ability to regain most of its functional mass within two weeks. Dr. Vikram Rao said that many tumors that were previously considered uncurable are now amenable to completion through induction chemotherapy and innovative treatment strategies to increase liver remnant volume.
Due to the increasing success of liver surgery, more patients with underlying liver disease are now considered suitable candidates for liver resection. One of the historical advances in liver transplantation has been the ability to use segmental liver grafts obtained from a deceased donor or a living donor. In the latter situation, the success of the procedure depends on relatively rapid liver regeneration in both the donor and the recipient, he explains.
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Rao added that there are new challenges in the use of therapeutic strategies to enhance liver regeneration in patients in whom normal regeneration fails thus leading to liver resection.