Mary Thomson, MD: The Future of NASH Care

There is a gap in treatment for patients with liver diseases and cardiovascular concerns.

That is the main takeaway of TARGET-NASH, an ongoing study looking at treatment and care for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH),for Mary Thomson, MD, MSC, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Minnesota Medical School.

Thomson, a lead author on TARGET-NASH, recently told HCPLive® that statin use is underutilized in this patient population, largely due to the risks associated with the treatment for additional liver damage.

TARGET-NASH is an observational study of participants with NAFLD and/or NASH in usual clinical practice and is part of a series of Target studies targeted several diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and asthma.

All of the patients have been diagnosed with NASH, either by their physician or by a biopsy.

Thomson said the COVID-19 pandemic may have slightly impacted how the study is reported, but for the most part the ongoing analysis will transform care for this patient population.

Thomson also spoke about how individual decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic could play a role in liver care moving forward, including increases in alcohol and drug use, as well as an increase in poor dietary decisions.