Author: aracila
Paris International Liver Meeting 2027 – Save the Date
Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to invite you to save the date for the Paris International Liver Meeting 2027, taking place January 21–23, 2027, at Maison de la Chimie in Paris, France. Building on the outstanding success of PILM 2026, which attracted 722 participants from 67 countries, we are excited to bring together the international community of hepatology experts once again. PILM 2027 will feature cutting-edge scientific sessions, state-of-the-art lectures, and interactive discussions covering the latest advances in steatotic liver disease (MASLD, MetALD, ALD), viral hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, cholestatic liver diseases, and complications of cirrhosis. Join us to share insights, exchange practical approaches, and advance patient care alongside colleagues from academia, clinical practice, and industry. For more information, visit www.parislivermeeting.com We look forward to seeing you in Paris! Best regards, Laurent Castera and Zobair M. Younossi
Research from Global NASH/MASH Council as Cover Story of Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology: Hidden Impact of Alcohol Underreporting on Disease Burden in the US
Research by the Global NASH/MASH Council (GNC), led by Zobair M. Younossi, MD, has been published as the Cover Story of The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data spanning 1988–2023, the study demonstrates that alcohol consumption is underreported in population surveys, resulting in underestimation of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD) burden. When corrected for underreporting, the prevalence of ALD and MetALD nearly doubled compared to uncorrected estimates. The research reveals that ALD carries the highest premature mortality risk among steatotic liver diseases (SLD), with binge drinking identified as the dominant mortality driver in ALD and type 2 diabetes (T2D) as the strongest predictor in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Notably, the concurrent presence of binge drinking with T2D or hypertension produces synergistic effects associated with particularly hazardous outcomes. These findings underscore the urgent need for systematic screening of alcohol consumption, with particular emphasis on binge drinking, combined with comprehensive assessment of cardiometabolic risk factors. Such integrated approaches are essential to inform targeted clinical interventions and public health strategies aimed at preventing liver disease progression, reducing mortality, and improving patient outcomes. Read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(25)00376-0/abstract
New Global Consensus Roadmap for MASLD: From Risk Identification to Actionable Care
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) now affects more than one-third of the global adult population and has become an increasingly important driver of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation, and liver-related mortality. The newly accepted global consensus recommendations in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2026) provide a practical roadmap to help clinicians move from passive disease recognition to proactive, risk-stratified management. Central to this paradigm shift is a fundamental principle: fibrosis risk, rather than steatosis alone, should guide clinical decision-making. Patients with type 2 diabetes, medically complicated obesity, persistent aminotransferase elevation, or multiple cardiometabolic risk factors warrant active risk stratification using first-line noninvasive testing with FIB-4. This approach enables primary care clinicians to rapidly distinguish low-risk patients suitable for routine management from those requiring further assessment and potential specialist referral. The algorithm employs a two-tiered stratification strategy. Second-line noninvasive tests, vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) or the enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score, further define disease severity and guide actionable decisions. These tools identify patients with low-risk disease, those with at-risk MASLD and clinically significant fibrosis (F2–F3) where intervention is most impactful, and those with probable cirrhosis who require specialist management. Patients with F2–F3 fibrosis without cirrhosis may be considered for MASH-approved regimens in addition to lifestyle modification. Those with cirrhosis, while not currently candidates for approved MASH pharmacotherapies, should be referred for specialist management, whereas patients with earlier-stage disease (F1) can generally remain under primary care management. Critically, this framework transforms noninvasive tests from diagnostic tools into treatment-enabling instruments. For the first time, the consensus also provides clear threshold-based recommendations for both VCTE and ELF in risk stratification and treatment selection. It further integrates recently approved pharmacotherapies, resmetirom and semaglutide, for appropriate noncirrhotic patients with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis (F2–F3), while emphasizing foundational lifestyle interventions: weight reduction, Mediterranean-style dietary optimization, alcohol minimization, reduction of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, and regular physical activity. Longitudinal monitoring with repeat noninvasive testing during follow-up or active treatment allows objective assessment of treatment response and refinement of management over time. The future of MASLD care is decisively noninvasive, risk-stratified, scalable, and actionable, combining evidence-based pharmacotherapy with optimized lifestyle modification and comprehensive cardiometabolic risk management for eligible patients. Read the full article: https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(26)00241-7/fulltext
Binge drinking, metabolic dysfunction, and the spectrum of steatotic liver disease in the USA: a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis
A new study shows that we have been underestimating alcohol related liver disease. Published this week in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology by members of the Global NASH MASH Council, this large US study using NHANES data from 1988 to 2023 and including 41,100 adults highlights a major issue. Underreporting alcohol use is leading to widespread misclassification of liver disease. Many patients labeled as MASLD may in fact have ALD or MetALD. After adjusting for underreporting, the prevalence of both ALD and MetALD nearly doubled. The mortality signal is striking. Binge drinking drives most premature deaths in ALD at 92.9 percent and contributes significantly in MetALD at 21 percent, while type 2 diabetes remains a major driver in MASLD at up to 44.8 percent. The highest risk occurs when these factors coexist, particularly binge drinking combined with diabetes or hypertension, which is associated with up to a seventeen-fold increase in mortality. The bottom line is clear. We need to move beyond self-reported alcohol intake. Routine assessment of underreported alcohol use with tools such as AUDIT or biomarkers such as PEth, along with careful evaluation of binge drinking patterns, should become standard clinical practice. Misclassification is not benign; it leads to missed opportunities for intervention and underestimates the true burden of disease.
Advancing the Science and Care of Liver Disease: Highlights from the 6th Annual Liver Connect Meeting
The 6th Annual Liver Connect Meeting of the Chronic Liver Disease Foundation was held from February 26–28, 2026, at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in beautiful San Diego, California. The meeting brought together more than 500 in-person attendees, along with a substantial number of virtual participants from across the country and internationally. The scientific program covered the full spectrum of chronic liver diseases, including metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), metabolic dysfunction–associated alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD), alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), cholestatic liver diseases, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and pediatric hepatology. Sessions were designed to address both cutting-edge scientific advances and their practical application in clinical practice. Lectures were complemented by highly interactive discussions that engaged participants in thoughtful dialogue around emerging data, evolving therapeutic strategies, and implementation challenges. The meeting also provided valuable opportunities for collaboration and networking among attendees, distinguished faculty, and industry partners, further strengthening the shared commitment to advancing care for patients with chronic liver disease.
Performance of Non-Invasive Fibrosis Tests (NITs) in MASLD Varies by Age, Diabetes, and Obesity: Results from the Global MASLD (G-MASLD) Project from the Global NASH/MASH Council (GNC)
The G-MASLD project with 18,759 biopsy-confirmed MASLD patients from 41 countries has been carried out by members of GNC. The project continues to provide critical data about MASLD/MASH and NITs from real world practices. In this analysis of G-MASLD data, the diagnostic accuracy and performance of NITs were influenced by patient characteristics. FIB-4 performance declined with younger and older age as well as presence of type 2 diabetes, while liver stiffness measurement was mainly affected by obesity. Imaging-based and clinical composite tests, especially Agile-3+ and Agile-4 showed more stable performance across subgroups.
The Global NASH/MASH Council (GNC) at Qatar Health Congress 2026 (January 29–31, 2026)
The Global NASH/MASH Council (GNC) was pleased to collaborate with Qatar Health Congress 2026 to address key topics in MASLD and MASH. The Congress was co-organized under the leadership of Professor Abdel-Naser Elzouki, Chair of the Scientific Committee and a member of the GNC, by the Department of Medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation, in collaboration with the American College of Physicians, Mayo Clinic, and the Royal Colleges of Physicians (Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London), as well as the Global NASH/MASH Council (GNC). The Congress was attended by approximately 2000 participants from Qatar, the Gulf, and across the MENA region and covered a broad range of topics in internal medicine. In collaboration with Qatar Health Congress 2026 and the Steatotic Liver Disease Research Foundation in the MENA region (SLMENA), the GNC organized a dedicated scientific session entitled “From MASLD to MASH: Advances in Diagnosis and Management.” This symposium was highly interactive and featured presentations on MASH delivered by GNC members from the region. In addition, Zobair Younossi delivered a state-of-the-art lecture entitled “The Growing Burden of MASLD and Its Management in 2026: Challenges, Innovations, and Future Directions.” The GNC is delighted to support this very important region of the world in all our activities.