Cross-sectional studies considered for meta-analysis
| First author, year | Sample size | Study population | Exclusion criteria | MTX indication | MTX cumulative dose g (range) | MTX duration y (range) | Testing modality | BMI (mean±SD) | Patients with cirrhosis |
| Bafna, 202113 | 75 | 92% female; 45% obese; 57% >10 y MTX exposure; 97% on hydroxychloroquine | BMI >30, viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, heavy alcohol use, hepatotoxin use, ascites, elevated transaminases | RA | 6.3 (2.4–17.4) | >3 (2.7–17.4) | VCTE; liver biopsy | 24.8±3.9 | 1 |
| Erre, 201914 | 140 | MTX treated=140; MTX naïve=33; healthy donors=100 | Chronic liver disease, other autoimmune diseases | RA | 4.7 (0.2–7.2) | 6.2 (0.5–11.4) | VCTE | 26±5 | 0 |
| Lertnawapan, 201915 | 108 | Large number of patients with high FBG | Chronic liver disease, elevated aminotransferases, alcohol use disorder | RA | 1.0 (1.8–3) | 4 (1.5–9) | VCTE; AST/ALT ratio; APRI; NAFLD fibrosis score; BARDS score; FIB-4 | 24±5 | 0 |
| Neema, 202016 | 82 | Viral hepatitis, alcohol use, hepatotoxin use | Psoriasis | 1.5 | 10 | VCTE | 25.1±3.9 | 0 | |
| Feuchtenberger, 202133 | 110 | MTX >1 y=65; MTX naïve at initiation=54 | Chronic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, NASH, obesity | RA | 3.6 | 4.39 (1.0–18) | ARFI | 25±2 | 0 |
| Mahajan, 202031 | 134 | Large number of patients in both groups with alcohol use, DM, HTN | Viral hepatitis, HIV infection | Psoriasis | 0.89 (0–5.2) | 2 | VCTE; APRI; NAFLD fibrosis score; FIB-4 | 25±4.3 | 0 |
| Pongpit, 201632 | 162 | Majority with metabolic syndrome and/or hyperlipidemia | Chronic liver disease, alcohol use disorder, pregnancy | Psoriasis | Majority <1.5 | 6 (4–28) | VCTE; liver biopsy | 24.8±4.7 | 0 |
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; APRI, AST to platelet ratio index; ARFI, acoustic range force impulse; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BARDS, BMI, AST/ALT ratio and Diabetes Score; BMI, body mass index; DM, diabetes mellitus; FBG, fibrinogen; FIB-4, Fibrosis-4; HTN, hypertension; MTX, methotrexate; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; VCTE, vibration-controlled transient elastography.