Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40947687›Full record

SynthesisCurrent molecular medicine2026

The Association Between Telomere Length and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sajad Khodabandelu, Susan Jahankhah, Narges Moonesi Shabestari, Yaseen Eghbal, Sara Khaleghi, Amirmohammad Hajizadeh, Seyedeh Zeinab Ghaheri, Mohammadsadegh Jafari, Massoud Vosough, Mohammad Rahmanian

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current molecular medicine, 2026. 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. Lower Allele Frequency ofJCO global oncology · 2026
    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

10 authors.

Sajad KhodabandeluDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Student Research Committee, School of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Susan JahankhahStudent Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Narges Moonesi ShabestariIslamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, Tehran, Iran.
Yaseen EghbalTabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.
Sara KhaleghiDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Student Research Committee, School of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Amirmohammad HajizadehIslamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, Tehran, Iran.
Seyedeh Zeinab GhaheriAbadan University of Medical Sciences, Valiasr Hospital, Abadan, Iran.
Mohammadsadegh JafariVolgograd State Medical University, School of Medicine, Volgograd, Russia.
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.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionStudies have stated that there has been a close association between the telomere length (TL) and the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The goal of this report is to explore the possible association between TL and NAFLD.

methodsThis study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. An extensive literature search was conducted in the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The "meta" package in the R programming language, version 4.3.1, was used for statistical analysis.

resultsThe meta-analysis of the included studies showed a pooled standard mean difference (SMD) of -0.25 (95% CI: -0.39 to -0.10), indicating shorter TL in NAFLD patients. Subgroup analyses revealed significant TL shortening in NAFLD patients with body mass index (BMI) <28 (SMD = -0.68, 95% CI: -0.96 to -0.39) and in case-control (-0.35, 95% CI: -0.51 to -0.20) and cohort studies (-0.68, 95% CI: -1.19 to -0.17). An odds ratio (OR) meta-analysis of six studies found that individuals with short TL had 1.72 times higher odds of NAFLD, which was statistically significant (95% CI: 1.23- 2.42, I DISCUSSION: The findings suggest a potential link between shorter TL and NAFLD. The odds ratio analyses further emphasized the increased risk of NAFLD in individuals with short TL. Nevertheless, the residual heterogeneity highlights the need for further high-quality, standardized research.

conclusionOur findings supported the connection between reduced TL and NAFLD. Regardless of significant between-study diversity, the results remained consistent even after repeated sensitivity evaluations. Despite these findings, the high heterogeneity highlights the need for further well-designed studies to confirm TL as a reliable biomarker for NAFLD risk and progression.

Indexed as

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseTelomereTelomere HomeostasisTelomere ShorteningHumansOdds RatioRisk Factorshepatocellular carcinomaNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)telomere length (TL)

Identifiers

PMID40947687

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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 OpenQuestion graph.