Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40357286›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in medicine2025

Association between alcohol consumption and hepatic fibrosis in Chinese adult males with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Mao Li, Bin Yu, Xiaoli Zhang, Jia Pan, Lei Tang, Yi Zhang, Ruixin Wang, Honglian Zeng, Shujuan Yang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Guideline
  2. Precision pathophysiology in steatotic liver disease.Clinical and molecular hepatology · 2026
    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

9 authors.

Mao Li *Department of Health Management Centre, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Bin Yu *West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xiaoli ZhangDepartment of Health Management Centre, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Jia PanDepartment of Health Management Centre, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Lei TangDepartment of Health Management Centre, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Yi ZhangDepartment of Health Management Centre, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Ruixin WangNorth Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.
Honglian ZengDepartment of Health Management Centre, Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Shujuan YangWest China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The impact of moderate drinking on the risk of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains controversial worldwide. Notably, China, with the fastest-growing incidence of NAFLD and the highest number of alcohol-attributable deaths globally, has relatively few studies addressing this issue. This study aimed to explore the association between alcohol consumption and liver fibrosis in Chinese men with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Methods: We recruited 4,683 male employees diagnosed with MASLD from southwest China, including 4,287 with pure MASLD and 396 with metabolic and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD) who consumed increased alcohol (30-60 g/d). Advanced fibrosis was defined as a fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) ≥ 2.67, and FIB-4 ≥ 1.30 indicated an intermediate/high probability of hepatic fibrosis. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between alcohol consumption and hepatic fibrosis, and analyze the modification effect of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) on the association. Propensity score matching method was used to test the robustness of the regression results. Results: Compared with non-drinkers, both moderate (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.16-10.31) and increased alcohol consumption (OR = 4.64, 95% CI: 1.60-16.82) were significantly associated with an increased risk of advanced fibrosis in males with MASLD. Additionally, moderate (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.07-1.66) and increased drinking (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.28-2.34) were associated with intermediate/high probability of hepatic fibrosis, with similar results from logistic regression analysis in propensity score-matched cases. Trend analysis revealed the risk of hepatic fibrosis increased with increasing alcohol intake (FIB-4 ≥ 1.30, Conclusion: In China, moderate alcohol intake may heighten the risk of hepatic fibrosis in males with MASLD who are overweight/obese or have abdominal obesity. Moreover, males with MetALD may have a higher risk of fibrosis compared to those with pure MASLD.

Indexed as

alcohol consumptionfibrosis-4 indexhepatic fibrosismetabolic and alcohol-related liver diseasemetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Identifiers

PMID40357286
PMCPMC12066787

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.