Figure 5.

Effects of n-3 LC-PUFAs vs a control on liver fat content, assessed using magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in patients with NAFLD. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled estimate of the differences in means and the accompanying 95%CI. Studies were weighted by the inverse of their variance; the area of each symbol is proportional to the weight of the study. The diamond represents the pooled effect. The pooled change from baseline in liver fat content with intake of n-3 LC-PUFAs, corrected for changes from baseline in the control group, is −5.19% (95%CI, −9.58 to −0.79%; P=0.021). Using the trim and fill method of Duval and Tweedie,³⁵ no studies were found to be missing to the right of the mean effect. Abbreviations: DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; n-3 LC-PUFAs, omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; LFC, liver fat content; MetSyn, metabolic syndrome; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome.