Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41361375›Full record

SynthesisBMC gastroenterology2025

Efficacy of pharmacotherapies on pediatric patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Shehab Yaser, Hatem Yaser, Hazem E Mohammed, Mohamed Nasser, Mohamed Khalafalla Darwish, Mohamed E Haseeb, Anas Hussein Heiba, Mohamed Mabrouk Ghonaim, Heba Aboeldahab, Zeyad Bady

Registry-linked trialAbstract readNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07731360 (A Non-Invasive Diagnostic Panel for MASLD in Children With Obesity), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT07731360 not yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

A Non-Invasive Diagnostic Panel for MASLD in Children With Obesity: Evaluation of a Multiparametric Biomarker Panel and Genetic Risk Score Using LASSO-Regularized Logistic Regression - The PedMASLD-MultiOmics Pilot Study

TypeobservationalSponsorKayseri City HospitalRan2026 to 2027Enrolled180ConditionsMetabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, Pediatric Obesity, Insulin Resistance SyndromeArmsNon-Invasive Multi-Parameter Diagnostic Panel
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Shehab Yaser *Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. shehabyasser203@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-6874-3393
Hatem Yaser *Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Hazem E MohammedFaculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Mohamed NasserFaculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
Mohamed Khalafalla DarwishFaculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
Mohamed E HaseebFaculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
Anas Hussein HeibaFaculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
Mohamed Mabrouk GhonaimFaculty of Medicine, Menoufia university, Menoufia, Egypt.
Heba AboeldahabMedical Research Group of Egypt, Negida Academy, Arlington, MA, USA.
Zeyad BadyFaculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects children and is increasingly prevalent alongside rising childhood obesity. The MASLD spectrum spans from simple hepatic steatosis to metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Despite this rising prevalence, the optimal pharmacotherapy for pediatric MASLD remains uncertain.

objectiveThis systematic review and network meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different pharmacotherapies in managing pediatric MASLD.

methodsIncluded in this meta-analysis were randomized controlled trials. The diagnosis of MASLD was established using medical imaging techniques such as ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging, or via liver biopsy, provided that patients had no other chronic liver diseases or secondary causes of liver steatosis. A systematic search of five electronic databases was conducted up to August 2024. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model, with results expressed as pooled mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcomes or relative risks (RRs) for categorical outcomes, each with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

resultsThis analysis included 26 trials involving 1503 patients. The mean age of patients across studies ranged from 7.41 to 14.06 years. Vitamin D demonstrated the best ranking in managing MASLD, significantly reducing NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) and improving lipid profiles by reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol, while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Besides, vitamin D combined with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) showed the strongest effect in reducing triglycerides. Vitamin E was associated with more patients achieving nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) resolution. Regarding liver transaminases, Cysteamine Bitartrate Delayed Release (CBDR) most effectively reduced ALT levels, AST levels, and fibrosis score.

conclusionsOur NMA suggests pharmacotherapy holds promise for pediatric MASLD, with vitamin D and vitamin E presenting the most consistent benefits across histologic and laboratory outcomes. Future well-designed RCTs integrating standardized MASLD diagnosis and lifestyle interventions are warranted.

Indexed as

Fatty LiverNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseAdolescentChildHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeVitamin DVitamin EVitamin DVitamin EMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseaseNAFLD activity score systematic reviewNetwork meta-analysisPediatric patientsPharmacotherapies

Identifiers

PMID41361375
PMCPMC12683787

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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.