Effect of coffee consumption on liver fibrosis and cirrhosis among hepatitis B patients

A Meta-analysis

Abstract

Background and Aims: Coffee consumption has preventive effect on liver fibrosis and cirrhosis among patients with hepatitis C and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Existing evidence on its effect on hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients are limited and contradicting.

Methodology: Literature search was done through PubMed, MEDLINE and google scholar. Four studies including HBV patients were reviewed which correlated coffee consumption on advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis using risk ratio (RR) via RevMan 5.4. The cut-off for high coffee consumption was > 2 cups of coffee per day in three studies and consumption of coffee, 4 to 7 days per week in one study.

Results: The summary estimate for any coffee consumption vs no consumption on cirrhosis was RR 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-1.63). Summary estimate for advanced fibrosis for any coffee consumption vs no consumption was RR 0.90 (95% CI, 0.25-3.21). Comparison of low coffee consumption vs no consumption on cirrhosis showed RR 1.10 (95% CI, 0.82-1.49) and on advanced fibrosis showed RR 1.02 (95% CI, 0.33-3.16). In terms of high coffee consumption on cirrhosis RR 0.99 (95% CI, 0.33-2.96) while on advanced fibrosis was RR 0.79 (95% CI, 0.24-2.63). Results showed that the presumed effect of coffee on prevention of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis was not observed.

Conclusion: Among HBV patients, coffee consumption has no significant effect on cirrhosis. There is a possible protective association for advanced fibrosis at higher coffee intake, but certainty is limited by heterogeneity, measurement variability, and confounding.

Keywords: Meta-analysis, Coffee, Liver fibrosis, Cirrhosis, Hepatitis B