European liver disease specialists have highlighted the growing burden of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), describing it as an emerging public health concern with increasing global prevalence.

The discussion took place during a symposium hosted by Opella at the EASL SLD Summit in Budapest, where experts called for earlier diagnosis, improved awareness and more multidisciplinary approaches to liver disease management.

MASLD is estimated to affect around 30% of adults globally and is projected to rise significantly over the coming decades. Experts at the meeting noted that the condition is frequently underdiagnosed, as early symptoms are often non-specific and easily overlooked in routine clinical practice.

Speakers emphasised the importance of integrating liver health into broader metabolic care, particularly in patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic risk factors.

Mária Papp highlighted the scale of the condition, saying: “the global prevalence of MASLD is currently around 50% among adults, but it’s up to 15% in children and adolescents, which is very threatening for us,” adding that patients require coordinated, multidisciplinary care.

Jörn Schattenberg noted that symptoms are often underestimated in clinical settings, saying: “if you don’t take a temperature, you can’t find a fever,” underscoring the need for more proactive screening and patient assessment.

The symposium also discussed findings from the EXCEL study, a multi-centre randomised controlled trial evaluating the role of essential phospholipids as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention in patients with MASLD.

Münevver Demir said: “essential phospholipids significantly improved steatosis versus placebo,” based on results presented from the study.

Marek Hartleb suggested that such approaches may have a role where dedicated liver-targeted therapies remain limited, describing essential phospholipids as a potential adjunct option in patient management.

The EXCEL study was also reported as accepted for publication, with findings indicating improvements in liver fat reduction and patient-reported fatigue when combined with lifestyle interventions. The study also reported metabolic improvements in patients with comorbid conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

During the symposium, it was also announced that Essentiale will be launched in Hungary under the FestalPro trademark.

The EXCEL study is a randomised, placebo-controlled trial evaluating essential phospholipids in MASLD, assessing outcomes including liver fat reduction and fatigue, alongside standard lifestyle measures.