Impact of Text Messaging in the Management of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Patients will be recruited primarily from the outpatient Liver Kirklin Clinic setting.

• Informed consent will be obtained by one of the investigators named in the protocol or by research coordinators involved with the study
• Eligibility will be confirmed by interview and review of medical records using the inclusion and exclusion criteria as listed above.
• Complete history and physical examination will be recorded especially for weight and body mass index, associated components of metabolic syndrome (diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia), liver enzymes, and current medications list.
• All procedures such as imaging, endoscopy, and liver biopsy will be done as part of standard routine care of these patients and no procedure will be done as part of this research study.
• Patients would be randomized to standard clinical care or to text messaging in addition to standard clinical care. Standard clinical care includes obtaining data on history and physical examination, routine blood work as part of liver disease care, ultrasound and appropriate any other liver imaging as needed for patient care, counseling for at least 7-10% weight loss with discussion on strategies to achieve this, management of other risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, and counseling for compliance to taking medications and following up on future clinic visits. The study investigator would be blinded to the randomization and which group the patient is randomized to.
• Patients would be followed at the end of 6 months period for assessing the study outcomes as detailed earlier. Follow up for patients with stable liver disease is usually done every 3-6 months. No additional clinic visits would be needed for this study.
• During these 6 months, patients would receive standard text messages as detailed later. Patients will use their own cell phone to receive the text messages and reply to these messages. There will be no additional intervention or device needed for this study

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with a diagnosis of NAFLD or NASH as determined with presence of steatosis and/or elevated liver enzymes, exclusion of other causes of liver disease, and history of alcohol use less than 10 g/d.
• Age >18 years
• Established patient at the UAB Kirklin clinic for at least 3-6 months
• Ownership of cell phone with text messaging service
• Ability to read and send text message

Exclusion criteria

• Failure to meet the inclusion criteria.
• Any medical, psychiatric, or social conditions that, in the opinion of the investigators, would make participation in this protocol not in the best interest of the subject
• Refusal to consent for the study
• Pregnant females