UK's NASH rates as high as 12%

British tech firm Perspectum Diagnostics has revealed data that suggests as many as 12% of adults in the UK may be suffering from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The data, presented to the International Liver Congress in Paris, was drawn from the medical database UK Biobank. It suggests that the prevalence of NASH in the UK may be as high as 12%, a significantly larger figure than the 2% previously estimated.

This is in part due to the difficulty of diagnosing sufferers. The disease is typically symptomless until it progresses into its advanced stages, and the only way to detect it before a patient becomes symptomatic is to extract cells from the liver. Some patients may reject even this procedure, as there is no treatment available if something is found.