Table 1.
Methodological characteristics of the included studies in this meta-analysis
| Ref. | Methodological quality | Sample size | Intervention | Control | Duration | Follow-up |
| Lee et al[23] | RCT | 20 (11/9) | Pentoxifylline (1200 mg/d) plus low-calorie diet and exercise | Placebo plus low-calorie diet and daily exercise | 12 wk | Yes |
| Tuncer et al[24] | Prospective cohort study with concurrent control | 20 (10/10) | Pentoxifylline (20 mg/kg per day) | UDCA | 24 wk | Yes |
| Georgescu et al[25] | Prospective cohort study with concurrent control | 26 (13/13) | Pentoxifylline (800 mg/d) | UDCA | 30 wk | Yes |
| Zein et al[26] | RCT | 55 (26/29) | Pentoxifylline (1200 mg/d) | Placebo | 12 mo | Yes |
| Van Wagner et al[27] | RCT | 26 (19/7) | Pentoxifylline (1200 mg/d) | Placebo | 12 mo | Yes |
RCT: Randomized controlled trial; UDCA: Ursodeoxycholic acid.