Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28585556›Full record

SynthesisThe American journal of gastroenterology2017

Beneficial Effects of Statins on the Rates of Hepatic Fibrosis, Hepatic Decompensation, and Mortality in Chronic Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sehrish Kamal, Muhammad Ali Khan, Ankur Seth, George Cholankeril, Deepansh Gupta, Utkarsh Singh, Faisal Kamal, Colin W Howden, Christopher Stave, Satheesh Nair and 2 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The American journal of gastroenterology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
8.1field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 103 citations in OpenAlex.

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  14. Preventing the progression of cirrhosis to decompensation and death.Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sehrish KamalDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Muhammad Ali KhanDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Ankur SethDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
George CholankerilDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Deepansh GuptaDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Utkarsh SinghDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Faisal KamalDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Colin W HowdenDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Christopher StaveLane Medical Library, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
Satheesh NairDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Sanjaya K SatapathyDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Aijaz AhmedDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
University of Tennessee Health Science Center · USStanford University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesStatins may improve outcomes in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of statins in the setting of CLD.

methodsWe searched several databases from inception to 17 October 2016 to identify comparative studies evaluating the role of statins in CLD. Outcomes of interest were the associations between statin use and progression of fibrosis, development of hepatic decompensation in cirrhosis, and mortality in CLD. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were pooled and analyzed using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the method of detection for progression of hepatic fibrosis and quality of studies.

resultsWe included 10 studies (1 randomized controlled trial and 9 observational) with 259,453 patients (54,441 statin users and 205,012 nonusers). For progression of hepatic fibrosis, pooled HR (95% confidence interval) was 0.49 (0.39-0.62). On subgroup analysis of studies using ICD-9 (The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision) coding and a second method to detect cirrhosis, pooled HR was 0.58 (0.51-0.65); pooled HR for studies using ICD-9 coding only was 0.36 (0.29-0.44). For progression of fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, pooled HR was 0.52 (0.37-0.73). For hepatic decompensation in cirrhosis, pooled HR was 0.54 (0.46-0.65). For mortality, pooled HR based on observational studies was 0.67 (0.46-0.98); in the randomized controlled trial, HR was 0.39 (0.15-0.99). However, the quality of evidence for these associations is low as most included studies were retrospective in nature and limited by residual confounding.

conclusionsStatins may retard the progression of hepatic fibrosis, may prevent hepatic decompensation in cirrhosis, and may reduce all-cause mortality in patients with CLD. As the quality (certainty) of evidence is low, further studies are needed before statins can be routinely recommended.

Indexed as

Liver CirrhosisLiver DiseasesLiver FailureChronic DiseaseDisease ProgressionHumansHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsObservational Studies as TopicSurvival AnalysisTreatment OutcomeHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID28585556
OpenAlexW2623602164

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.