Researchers of a recent study explored the relationship between depression and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization (MR). The meta-analysis, which included six studies with 289,222 depression cases among 167,554 participants, found a significant association between depression and an increased risk of developing NAFLD (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: [1.05, 1.24], P = 0.002). However, the MR analysis did not identify a causal link between genetically predicted depression and NAFLD risk (OR = 0.861, 95% CI: [0.598, 1.238], P = 0.420).
These findings highlight a discrepancy between observational data and genetic analysis, suggesting that while depression may be associated with an increased risk of NAFLD, it may not have a direct causal role. Limitations of the study include the small number of included studies, use of summary-level data, and restricted population sources, indicating a need for further research to clarify the relationship between depression and NAFLD.
Reference: Li S, Li S, Duan F, et al. Depression and NAFLD risk: A meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization study. J Affect Disord. 2024 May 1;352:379-385. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.02.074. Epub 2024 Feb 20. PMID: 38387674.
