Association between psychological distress and liver disease mortality: A meta-analysis of individual study participants

Abstract

Background & Aims Risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as obesity and hypertension, have been associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so it might also be associated, directly or indirectly, with liver disease. We investigated the relationship between psychological distress (measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire [GHQ]) and liver disease mortality. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of data from individual participants in 16 prospective studies of the general population in the United Kingdom, initiated from 1994 through 2008. Subjects were assigned to groups based on GHQ score: 0 (no distress), 1-3, 4-6, or 7-12. Results We analyzed data from 166,631 individuals (55% women; mean ± SD age, 46.6 ± 18.4 years; range, 16-102 years). During a mean follow-up period of 9.5 years, 17,368 participants died (457 with liver disease). We found a significant increase in liver disease mortality with increase in GHQ score (Ptrend