In this episode of Getting Ahead of the Rising Tide, co-hosts Ken Cusi and Roger Green are joined by Eric Johnson (University of North Dakota) and Jay Shubrook (Touro University) in a discussion around takeaways and key insights from the just-concluded American Diabetes Association (ADA) 83rd Scientific Sessions.
In an analysis of the meeting, the group expounds on multiple critical concepts that are immediately applicable to the role of frontline treaters in the effort of preventing, detecting and treating an epidemic of liver disease and to promote holistic metabolic health.
Among the many subjects explored, listeners will learn more about the following major themes:
00:00 Introductions
18:09 First impressions on the ADA meeting
22:22 An update on essential recommendations and guidelines for frontline treaters
Ken and Eric discuss their contributions to an updated guideline, Standards of Care in Diabetes – 2023, with new recommendations for the detection and management of NAFLD/NASH in people with diabetes.
27:44 Why and how to use the FIB-4 test
The group elucidates on the practicality of FIB-4 as a frontline screening tool that not only provides a simple to conduct, noninvasive estimate of scarring in the liver, but also a reasonable predictor of cardiovascular disease. There is cogent description around scoring parameters and how FIB-4 can be seamlessly implemented in otherwise time-restricted visitations.
34:44 Treatments available today
The panelists provide in-depth discussion around treatments like pioglitazone, FGF-21s and GLP-1s as therapeutic options available today that can make major impacts on Fatty Liver disease.
43:27 The imminent future of NASH therapeutics
NASH therapeutic development is on the cusp of bringing liver-directed drug to market. While some anti-obesity medications can contribute a beneficial defatting effect on the liver, treating obesity by itself does not outright resolve fibrogenic burden. It is discussed why there remains a need for more liver-directed drugs and how this issue is being resolved.
58:35 New nomenclature rollout for Fatty Liver disease
During the ADA Scientific Sessions, the European Association for the Study of Liver (EASL) simultaneously held a major meeting for the dissemination of hepatology research. At the EASL meeting it was announced that new nomenclature for Fatty Liver disease will be replacing the previous terminology. Read about the changes here: https://easl.eu/news/new_fatty_liver_disease_nomenclature-2/
Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is the new overarching term replacing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is replacing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
If you have questions or comments around the contents of this episode, the ADA Scientific Sessions and EASL Congress meetings, screening and therapeutic guidelines and recommendations, new nomenclature or any of the other numerous topics addressed, we kindly ask that you submit reviews wherever you download the discourse. Alternatively, you can write to us directly at questions@SurfingNASH.com.
This podcast series and all episodes are produced under a non-restricted grant from Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk has neither influenced nor reviewed the contents of this podcast in any way. This content represents the views of the speakers and does not necessarily represent the views of Novo Nordisk. The content herein is for educational purposes only.





