Prevalent osteoporosis and fracture risk in patients with hepatic cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Hepatic liver cirrhosis can lead to significant systemic complications, including the deterioration of bone health. The resulting bone complications can contribute to a decreased quality of life and increased healthcare burden. This study aimed to systematically review and analyze the risk of osteoporosis, fracture, and changes in bone mineral density (BMD) among patients with hepatic cirrhosis compared to non-cirrhotic healthy controls.

Methods: Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, studies were sourced from MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase up to July 2024, including observational studies that assessed osteoporosis, fracture, and BMD in cirrhotic versus non-cirrhotic patients. Meta-analyses were performed by calculating odds ratios (OR) and standardized mean differences (SMD) of outcomes. Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression were also conducted to explore the robustness and sources of heterogeneity.

Results: The analysis included 21 studies with 76,521 cirrhotic and 695,330 control patients. Cirrhotic patients demonstrated significantly higher odds of osteoporosis (OR = 1.93 [1.84 to 2.03]). Fracture was notably elevated, with cirrhotic patients showing an OR of 2.30 [1.66 to 3.18]. Reductions in BMD were observed in both the lumbar spine (SMD = -0.57[-0.79 to -0.35]) and femoral neck (SMD = -0.41 [-0.71 to -0.12]). Sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings, and meta-regression highlighted that male prevalence impacted these associations in various ways.

Conclusions: Patients with hepatic cirrhosis are at heightened risk for osteoporosis and fractures, underlining the need for proactive screening and preventive strategies. Integrating cirrhosis into current fracture-risk models could enhance the assessment and management of bone health in these patients.