January 6, 2001
Complications
Question from Grass,Valley, California, USA:
My father-in-law has had type 2 diabetes for several years. Unfortunately he has not always controlled it. He has recently been diagnosed with “NASH.” Is this caused by not controlling your blood sugars? Can something else (like a rotten gallbladder) cause it? I need more information on diagnosis and treatment.
Answer:
NASH stands for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. It means that fat is deposited into the liver. The most common reasons for this condition include excess alcohol intake, poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, and parenteral nutrition for prolonged periods of time. Some medications have also been implicated. The best treatment for the condition is removal of the offending agents and/or treatment of the diabetes and associated factors (such as obesity and elevated lipids). To my knowledge, a rotten gallbladder does not cause this condition.
JTL
