Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37797596›Full record

ArticleObesity facts2023

The Fatty Liver Index, the Strongest Risk Factor for Low Testosterone Level.

Luna Liu, Man Li, Pengcheng Chen, Yuchen Li, Qianmei Song, Junming Han, Li Fang, Qingbo Guan, Chunxiao Yu

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Obesity facts, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 28% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Mechanisms of Leydig Cell Aging and Obesity-Related Hypogonadism in Men: A Review.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
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

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Luna LiuDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Man LiDepartment of Geratology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Pengcheng ChenDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Yuchen LiDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Qianmei SongDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Junming HanDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Li FangDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Qingbo GuanDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Chunxiao YuDepartment of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrine Glucose and Lipids Metabolism and Brain Aging, Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
Shanghai Clinical Research Center · CNShandong Academy of Chinese Medicine · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe study aimed to determine if hepatic steatosis assessed by fatty liver index (FLI) was an independent risk factor for male low testosterone level and whether the FLI was the strongest risk factor for low testosterone level in two different age groups.

methodsTwo cross-sectional studies were performed. A total of 3,443 male participants (aged 46-75) were recruited into study A (part of lONgitudinal study (REACTION)). Then a total of 267 male participants (aged 25-45) were recruited into study B. Serum total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels, indicators for assessing hepatic steatosis were measured. The Pearson correlation and regression analysis were performed to investigate the risk factors for low testosterone level.

resultsThe FLI had the strongest negative correlation with serum testosterone in the study A (r = -0.436) and B (r = -0.542). Compared with patients with a FLI lower than 30, the risk for low testosterone level increased by 3.48-fold in subjects with a FLI higher than 60 adjusted for potential risk factors in study A. In study B, the odds ratio of low testosterone level in patients with potential hepatic steatosis was 4.26 (1.57-11.60) after adjusted for age and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and 0.59 (0.14-2.60) after adjusted for age, HOMA-IR, waist circumference, body mass index, and SHBG.

conclusionsFLI was the strongest risk factor for male low testosterone level independent of insulin resistance in male populations of different ages; however, the association can be modulated by SHBG levels in the young. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In the study, FLI was the strongest negative risk factor for low testosterone level in the Chinese adult male population. The results suggested that hepatic steatosis assessed by the FLI was the main risk factor for male low testosterone level, independent of age, insulin resistance, smoking, and drinking status; however, the association of FLI and TT levels can be modulated by SHBG levels. Taken together these findings indicate that clinical physicians should pay more attention to the FLI index and hepatic steatosis, so that they can take advantage of them for assessing the risk of developing of low testosterone level in the male population.

Indexed as

Fatty LiverInsulin ResistanceAdultBody Mass IndexCross-Sectional StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleRisk FactorsTestosteroneTestosteroneAgeFatty liver indexHepatic steatosisLow testosterone levelTestosterone

Identifiers

PMID37797596
PMCPMC10697743
OpenAlexW4387393224

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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 OpenQuestion graph.