Evidence mapPaperPMID 41411310Full record

SynthesisPloS one2025

The reciprocal relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hypothyroidism: A systematic review and meta-analysis of about 39 million individuals.

Ariyan Ayati Firoozabadi, Iman Elahi Vahed, Pouyan Lotfi, Adel Geshani, Ali Keshavarzian, Maryam Moftakhar, Mahkameh Razaghi, Zahra Rasouli, Mahtab Montazeri, Mohammad Ali Mansournia and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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.

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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

Ariyan Ayati FiroozabadiSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4363-8010
Iman Elahi VahedSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Pouyan LotfiStudent Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran.
Adel GeshaniStudent Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Ali KeshavarzianSchool of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Maryam MoftakharSchool of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Mahkameh RazaghiSchool of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra RasouliStudent Research Committee, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran.
Mahtab MontazeriStudent Research Committee, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Mohammad Ali MansourniaDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Massoud VosoughDepartment of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad RahmanianGastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0024-1934

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hypothyroidism are both prevalent conditions with potential reciprocal influences. This study evaluates the link between NAFLD and hypothyroidism.

methodsA systematic search was performed using Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A random-effects meta-analysis assessed the bidirectional connection between hypothyroidism and NAFLD. Subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses explored variability. R software (version 4.4.1) was employed for all analyses.

resultsData from 38,877,762 people were assessed, with 99% being female, limiting generalizability to male populations. Among the study population, females were significantly more numerous than males. Hypothyroidism increased the presence of NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.34-2.87; I2 = 89%). In subgroup analysis, the incidence of NAFLD/NASH was increased in both subclinical and unspecified hypothyroidism patients (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.08-2.35; I2 = 91%, and OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.09-3.54; I2 = 79%, respectively). Conversely, overt hypothyroidism did not significantly increase the risk of NAFLD/NASH (OR = 4.27, 95% CI = 0.90-20.19; I2 = 89%). Additionally, NAFLD patients were more likely to develop hypothyroidism (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.35-2.53; I2 = 100%). According to the subgroup analysis, NAFLD patients were more prone to develop subclinical hypothyroidism (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.11-3.03; I2 = 87%). The increased presence of overt hypothyroidism wasn't found to be significant in NAFLD patients (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 0.73-5.18).

conclusionThis study suggests a reciprocal connection between hypothyroidism and NAFLD, underscoring the need for integrated management strategies and additional research into the underlying mechanisms. The predominance of female participants, combined with high heterogeneity, limits the applicability of findings to broader populations.

Indexed as

HypothyroidismNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseFemaleHumansMaleRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID41411310
PMCPMC12714247

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.