Liver fibrosis – from bench to bedside

Liver fibrosis has evolved in the past 20 years from a pure laboratory discipline to an area of great bedside relevance to practicing hepatologists. This evolution reflects growing awareness not only of the molecular underpinnings of fibrosis, but also of its natural history and methods of detection in chronic liver disease. These advances have culminated in clear evidence that cirrhosis can be reversible, and in realistic expectations that effective antifibrotic therapy will significantly alter the management and prognosis of patients with liver disease.