Association between thyroid function and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a dose-response meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Hepatology
• Metabolic Diseases

Background:

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly prevalent globally.
• Thyroid hormones (THs) are implicated in NAFLD pathogenesis, but the precise relationship remains unclear.
• Understanding the association between TH levels and NAFLD is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis assessing the correlation between thyroid function and NAFLD risk.
• To investigate the dose-response relationship between thyroid hormone levels and NAFLD.
• To evaluate the association between thyroid hormone levels and liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase.
• Inclusion of 10 studies with 38,425 participants.
• Combined overall and dose-response meta-analysis to evaluate TH levels and NAFLD risk.

Main Results:

• Increased free thyroxine (FT4) was associated with a reduced risk of NAFLD (10.56% reduction per 1 ng/dL increase).
• High free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels correlated with a higher risk of NAFLD (OR=1.580).
• Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was linked to significantly higher liver fibrosis levels (SMD=1.32).

Conclusions:

• A correlation exists between abnormal thyroid hormone levels and NAFLD occurrence.
• Specific thyroid hormone levels, like FT4 and FT3, show distinct associations with NAFLD risk.
• Further observational studies are needed to elucidate the complex relationship between thyroid hormones and NAFLD.