Exploring the Multifaceted Metabolic Pathology and Mechanisms of NAFLD: A Bibliometric Analysis and an In-depth Review

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome, affecting about a quarter of the world's population. As the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome rises, NAFLD is projected to become the leading cause of cirrhosis in the coming years. NAFLD is a complex disease whose pathophysiology mainly focuses on metabolic dysfunction and intestinal microecological dysregulation. Shifts between free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism and cell damage could be of major interest in finding new therapeutic targets. However, current public understanding of these diseases remains limited. Based on bibliometrics and extensive studies, this study explored the mechanisms by which FFAs regulate the occurrence of NAFLD. This review not only focuses on the role of the vicious cycle derived from FFA metabolic disorders, ecological disorders, and liver damage immunity concerning diabetes mellitus type 2 and NAFLD but also discusses the mechanisms involved in them.