Table 1.
Summary of results from meta-analysis for adults and children.
| Outcome | Analysis | Subpopulation | Number of studies | Heterogeneity | Effect summary | Adults vs Children* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I2 | PQ | Estimate | PZ | P | ||||
| NAFLD diagnosis | Control vs. NAFLD | Adult | 14 | 0.37 | 0.07 | 1.62 (1.40, 1.86) † | <0.01 | |
| Child | 6 | 0.59 | 0.03 | 2.87 (1.85, 4.46) † | <0.01 | 0.01 | ||
| Steatosis | Severe (stage S0-S1 vs. stage S2-S3) | Adult | 4 | 0.34 | 0.21 | 1.52 (1.14, 2.02) † | <0.01 | N/A |
| Steatosis progression | Adult | 55 | 0.8 | <0.01 | 0.22 (0.05, 0.39) ‡ | 0.01 | N/A | |
| Fibrosis | Occurs (stage F0 vs. stage F1-F4) | Adult | 2 | 0 | 0.95 | 1.07 (0.63, 1.82) † | 0.80 | N/A |
| Severe (stage F0-F1 vs. stage F2-F4) | Adult | 5 | 0.58 | 0.05 | 1.46 (1.07, 1.99) † | 0.02 | N/A | |
| Advanced (stage F0-F2 vs. stage F3-F4) | Adult | 3 | 0 | 0.77 | 2.04 (1.36, 3.05) † | <0.01 | N/A | |
| Fibrosis progression | Adult | 4 | 0.8 | 0.002 | 0.32 (0.03, 0.61) ‡ | 0.03 | N/A | |
| Aminotransferase | ALT | Adult | 15 | 0.90 | <0.01 | 3.34 (1.67, 5.00) ‡ | <0.01 | |
| Child | 4 | 0.13 | 0.33 | 3.93 (1.71, 6.16) ‡ | <0.01 | 0.68 | ||
| AST | Adult | 13 | 0.86 | <0.001 | 1.91 (0.59, 3.23) ‡ | <0.01 | ||
| Child | 2 | 0.44 | 0.18 | 2.90 (-1.58, 7.37) ‡ | 0.2 | 0.68 | ||
| Serum lipids | TC | Adult | 14 | 0.42 | 0.03 | -10.01 (-12.46, -7.56) ‡ | <0.01 | |
| Child | 5 | 0.38 | 0.17 | -10.85 (-14.64, -7.05) ‡ | <0.01 | 0.72 | ||
| TG | Adult | 16 | 0.76 | <0.01 | -14.36 (-18.71, -10.02) ‡ | <0.01 | ||
| Child | 5 | 0 | 0.90 | -6.55 (-10.00, -3.11) ‡ | <0.01 | <0.01 | ||
| LDL | Adult | 13 | 0 | 0.54 | -2.04 (-2.63, -1.44) ‡ | <0.01 | ||
| Child | 4 | 0 | 0.41 | -8.77 (-11.25, -6.30) ‡ | <0.01 | <0.01 | ||
| HDL | Adult | 15 | 0.60 | <0.001 | 0.66 (0.00, 1.32) ‡ | 0.05 | ||
| Child | 4 | 0.19 | 0.29 | -0.81 (-2.16, 0.53) ‡ | 0.24 | 0.05 | ||
*: Differences between adults and children were detected with Chi square test.
† OR, 95% CI; ‡ Mean difference, 95% CI.
Meta-analyses were performed using random effects with subgroup analysis for adult and child populations. The results using a dominant model of inheritance (CC vs. CT + TT) are shown for all outcomes. PZ <0.05, significant. Meta-analyses were performed using random effects with the DerSimonian−Laird method for estimation of tau2; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.12; NA, Not Available.