Key result
Regular aspirin use linked to ~11% lower risk of incident liver disease, specifically in men.
Why the study?
The impact of aspirin use on the development of liver diseases in the general population remains uncertain.
Does regular aspirin use reduce the incidence of new liver disease in the general population?
Cohort
Yes
Does regular aspirin use reduce the incidence of new liver disease in the general population?
Hazard Ratio: 0.888 (95% CI 0.819–0.963)
p-value: p=4.1 × 10-3
Regular aspirin use is associated with a reduced risk of developing new liver diseases in men, without increasing the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding or ulcers.
BACKGROUND: The hepatoprotective effects of aspirin have been observed in individuals with viral hepatitis; however, its impact on the general population remains uncertain. Understanding the association between aspirin use and the development of liver diseases is crucial for optimizing preventive strategies. METHODS: We identified individuals with aspirin use in the UK Biobank and the Penn Medicine Biobank, as well as propensity-score-matched controls. Outcome measures included new liver disease development, diagnosed by MRI or "International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems" coding, and incidences of gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers. RESULTS: In the UK Biobank cohort, regular aspirin use was associated with an 11.2% reduction in the risk of developing new liver diseases during the average 11.84 ± 2.01-year follow-up period (HR=0.888, 95% CI = 0.819-0.963; p = 4.1 × 10-3). Notably, the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (ICD-10 K76.0) and MRI-diagnosed steatosis was significantly lower among aspirin users (HR = 0.882-0.911), whereas no increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding or ulcers was observed. These findings were replicated in the Penn Medicine Biobank cohort, in which the protective effect of aspirin appeared to be dependent on the duration of intake. The greatest risk reduction for new liver disease development was observed after at least 1 year of aspirin use (HR = 0.569, 95% CI = 0.425-0.762; p = 1.6 × 10-4). Intriguingly, when considering general risk factors, only men exhibited a lower risk of MRI-confirmed or ICD-coded steatosis with aspirin use (HRs = 0.806-0.906), while no significant protective effect of aspirin was observed in females. CONCLUSION: This cohort study demonstrated that regular aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of liver disease in men without an elevated risk of gastrointestinal bleeding or ulcers. Further investigation is warranted to elucidate potential sex-related differences in the effects of aspirin and to inform tailored preventive strategies for liver diseases.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Vell et al. (2023) conducted a cohort in Liver disease. Regular aspirin use vs. Propensity-score-matched controls (non-users) was evaluated on New liver disease development (HR 0.888, 95% CI 0.819-0.963, p=4.1 × 10-3). Regular aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of developing new liver diseases (HR 0.888; 95% CI 0.819-0.963; p=4.1×10-3), with the protective effect observed specifically in men.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: