Moderator
Jeffrey Lazarus, PhD, MA, MIH, IS Global, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Barcelona, Spain
Speakers
Tetsuo Takehara, MD, PhD, The Japan Society of Hepatology, Kansai Rosai Hospital, Amagasaki, Japan; Simone Strasser, MBBS (Hons), MD, FRACP, FAASLD, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a chronic, progressive, and potentially life-threatening liver disease, which is increasingly gaining recognition as a major global health issue. MASH is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is strongly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiometabolic risk factors. The estimated prevalence of MASH in Asia Pacific region is 4.49% and raising over time. As MASH advances to its later stages, the risk of morbidity and mortality significantly increases, with some people developing irreversible cirrhosis, for which liver transplantation remains the only definitive treatment option. Despite its increasing prevalence, MASH remains underrecognized, underdiagnosed, and undertreated, placing a substantial burden on patients, healthcare systems and the wider economy. Estimated direct healthcare costs of MASH were US$1.27bn with estimated productivity losses reaching US$14.57bn in 2021 in Japan alone and estimated to rise to 2bn and 21.56bn respectively by 2030 if no actions were taken. A key challenge explored in this symposium is that individuals affected by MASH often experience few non-specific symptoms in the early stages of this disease, which results in delayed diagnosis and treatment. Confirmation of MASH can often require invasive testing for a definitive diagnosis, which is not conducive for routine screening. Advances in non-invasive testing methods can play a crucial role in the assessment and diagnosis of MASH, thereby enabling earlier detection of this disease and timely intervention. This symposium aims to raise awareness of MASH as a significant, yet underrecognized disease while highlighting its clinical and economic burden, and the urgent need for early detection and intervention. The speakers will discuss the current landscape of MASH diagnostics and treatment in Asia Pacific, including healthcare systems and patient perspectives, to enhance understanding of the disease and its implications for individuals living with MASH.
Sponsored by Novo Nordisk A/S.
Code
26
Topic Subcategory
Health & Insurance Records Systems