Liver Health Promotion Forum was held in Xiamen

2018 Annual Academic Conference of Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association & Liver Health Promotion Forum was held in Xiamen

    2018 Annual Academic Conference of Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association & Liver Health Promotion Forum was held in Xiamen from October 11^th to 13^th. Over 2,800 domestic and foreign representatives and experts attended the conference. Experts conducted extensive and in-depth academic exchanges on new advances in clinical and basic medicine in various fields, including viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease and drug-induced liver disease. Leaders and industry experts from relevant fields such as government management and industry guidance attended the forum and gave a report.

Main Session

Academician Zhuang Hui, honorary chairman of China Liver Health, gave an opening address and gave a report of Chinese Liver Disease Epidemiology and Disease Burden at the main session.

    The burden of liver disease in China is serious. According to statistics in 2018, there are 2 billion HBV-infected patients worldwide, of which 445.1 million or 22.25% are in China; there are 257 million HBsAg-positive people worldwide, of which 86 million are in China; there are 71 million HCV RNA-positive people worldwide, of which10 million are in China; there are over 150 million adults with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) worldwide, of which 60 million are in China; there are 220 million people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), of which 200 million are in China. To sum up, there are more than 1.3 billion patients with various liver diseases worldwide, of which 393 million are in China, accounting for about 30% of liver disease patients worldwide.

Non-viral liver diseases are more widely distributed than viral liver diseases in China. Domestically, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease accounts for 50.0% of liver disease; alcoholic liver disease accounts for 15%; hepatitis B accounts for 23.5%; others account for 9.5%. A study on the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University from 2011 to 2015 conducted etiological analysis for 6402 patients with HCC who underwent liver cancer surgery. The results showed that the prevalence of HCC caused by NAFLD increased from 3.8% to 6.4% during the 4 years.

    Liver disease is one of the main causes of death in China. Owing to improvement in vaccine immunization, health facilities, public awareness and antiviral therapy, acute viral hepatitis is on the decline. However, the burden of chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C is still severe. Non-viral liver disease and NAFLD, ALD, and drug-induced liver injury (DILI) are on the rise due to improved living standards, lifestyle and behavioral changes and lack of effective prevention and treatment measures. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of viral and non-viral liver diseases should be further strengthened.

Jin Tongling, director of the immunization department of CDC bureau under the National Health Commission, delivered a speech on the Liver Health Promotion Forum.

Dr. Chen Zhongdan from WHO representative office in China interpreted WHO 2030 hepatitis prevention and control targets.

Pang Lin, a research fellow from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, interpreted the China Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Plan.

Professor Cui Fuqiang from Peking University Health Science Center gave a report titled China's Progress in Eliminating Hepatitis B.

Professor Li Tong from Peking University Health Science Center gave a report titled HCV Genotype and Drug Resistance Mutation in the DAA era.

Li Mingyang, director of China Liver Health, gave a report on the work done by China Liver Health.

Director Xing Huichun from Ditan Hospital gave a report titled Eliminating Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Dr. Rong Yihui from the department of liver disease, Peking University International Hospital, presided over the forum.

Prof. Rao Huiying from Peking University People's Hospital introduced the Research Project on NAFLD Patients’ Quality of Life.

    Prof. Rao Huiying gave a report titled Focusing on the Quality of Life of Patients with Fatty Liver and called on experts to pay attention to the quality of life of patients with fatty liver. She comprehensively introduced the background, significance and implementation process of the Research Project on NAFLD Patients’ Quality of Life. This program plans to conduct online questionnaire survey for 5000 patients in the 100 Fatty Liver Centers under Fatty Liver Disease Study Group of Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association. Prof. Rao said that the project was expected to enable clinical experts to have a more comprehensive understanding of the current overall situation of NAFLD patients, promote medical staff’s awareness and attention to NAFLD, and enhance the attention from patients and the public to NAFLD so as to gradually establish the research system for NAFLD patients’ quality of life and long-term management model centered on NAFLD patients.

Prof. Wei Lai, chairman of China Liver Health, chaired the forum and interpreted Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatitis C in China.

    NAFLD is a liver metabolic disease related to insulin resistance and characterized by the deposition of large amounts of fat in the liver. The prevalence of NAFLD in China is gradually increasing and shows a low aging tendency. In addition to persistent transaminase abnormalities and slow progression of liver fibrosis, NAFLD may also cause symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, anxiety, depression, etc., and reduce the health-related quality of life of patients. Prof. Wei Lai presided over the launching ceremony of the Research Project on NAFLD Patients’ Quality of Life.

Academician Zhuang Hui took photos with some experts.

    The Liver Health Promotion Forum will facilitate the achievement of WHO’s goal to eliminate viral hepatis as a public health threat by 2030 and the implementation of the China Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Plan (2017-2020). The forum covers the scope of hepatis treatment and cure, involves patients with liver diseases, their families and working units as well as national government agencies, hospitals, scientific research institutions, pharmaceutical companies and social organizations linked to liver diseases. In the national academic platform, discussions are no longer limited to the diagnosis and treatment progress of certain or certain types of liver diseases, but are centered on liver health promotion and involve all quarters of the society.