PAPERZILLA
Crunching Academic Papers into Bite-sized Insights.
About
Sign Out
← Back to papers
Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology
Carbohydrate consumption and cirrhosis-related mortality: a prospective cohort study
★
★
★
☆
☆
SHARE
Overview
Paper Summary
Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
Rating Explanation
Good to know
Topic Hierarchy
File Information
Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
Sugar and Some Carbs Linked to Higher Mortality in Cirrhosis Patients (But Study Has Limitations)
In this prospective cohort study of 121 Iranian cirrhosis patients, higher intakes of total carbohydrates, sugar, glucose, fructose, and sucrose were associated with increased mortality risk over four years, while lactose intake was linked to lower mortality. However, the small sample size, single baseline dietary assessment, and observational design limit the ability to draw causal conclusions and generalize the findings to other populations. Further research with more robust methodology is needed to confirm these associations and explore the underlying mechanisms.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified.
Identified Weaknesses
Small sample size
The sample size, while adequate for a single-center study, is relatively small (n=121) for a study investigating multiple dietary factors and their association with mortality. This limits the statistical power, particularly for subgroup or interaction analyses, and increases the risk of chance findings. A larger sample size would increase the robustness of the findings and allow for more detailed analyses.
Single baseline dietary assessment
The study uses a single baseline FFQ, which is a snapshot in time and doesn't capture potential changes in dietary habits over the 4-year follow-up period. Dietary changes could influence disease progression and confound the association between baseline intake and mortality.
Observational study design
The observational nature of the study limits the ability to establish causal relationships. While the findings suggest associations between certain carbohydrate types and mortality, they cannot definitively prove that these carbohydrates directly cause or prevent death in cirrhosis patients. Other unmeasured factors could be influencing the observed relationships.
Limited generalizability
The study population is from a specific region in Iran, which may have unique dietary habits and cultural practices that may not be generalizable to other populations. The findings may not apply to individuals with cirrhosis in other parts of the world with different dietary patterns and healthcare systems.
Rating Explanation
This is an observational study with a relatively small sample size and single baseline dietary assessment. Therefore, while intriguing correlations are observed between specific carbohydrate intakes and mortality in cirrhosis patients, causal conclusions cannot be drawn, and the generalizability is limited. The study highlights a clinically relevant topic with potential implications for dietary guidelines in cirrhosis management, making it a worthwhile contribution despite its methodological constraints. It earns a 3 because while it has flaws, the associations found raise questions warranting further investigation in larger, more robust studies.
Good to know
This is our free standard analysis. Paperzilla Pro fact-checks every citation, researches author backgrounds and funding sources, and uses advanced AI reasoning for more thorough insights.
Explore Pro →
Topic Hierarchy
File Information
Original Title:
Carbohydrate consumption and cirrhosis-related mortality: a prospective cohort study
File Name:
s13104-025-07382-1.pdf
[download]
File Size:
0.93 MB
Uploaded:
July 24, 2025 at 05:55 PM
Privacy:
🌐 Public
© 2025 Paperzilla. All rights reserved.