title: The effect of green tea intake on risk of liver disease: a meta analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There have been many reports on the reduction of liver disease with green tea consumption. This study aims to evaluate the body of evidence related to green tea consumption on the risk of liver disease and determine the effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang and Weipu databases. Statistical analysis was performed using the software Revman 5.2 and Stata 12.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Meta-analysis revealed that among green tea drinkers, there was a significant reduction in the risk of liver disease (RR=0.68, 95% CI=0.56-0.82, P=0.000). This trend extends to a broad spectrum of liver conditions including hepatocellular carcinoma (RR=0.74, 95% CI=0.56-0.97, P=0.027), liver steatosis (RR=0.65, 95% CI=0.44-0.98, P=0.039), hepatitis (RR=0.57, 95% CI=0.45-0.73, P=0.000), liver cirrhosis (RR=0.56, 95% CI=0.31-1.01, P=0.053) and chronic liver disease (RR=0.49, 95% CI=0.29-0.82, P=0.007). This trend is also observed regardless of the race of the individual concerned where the Asian, American and European subgroups all demonstrated a reduced risk of liver disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Green tea intake reduces the risk of liver disease. However, more long term randomized clinical trials are needed to comprehensively evaluate the health benefits of green tea.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xueru
authors: X
authors: Yin
authors: West China School of Medicine/West China Hospital, Sichuan University Chengdu 610041, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jiqiao
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore Singapore 119228, The Republic of Singapore.
authors: Tony
authors: T
authors: Li
authors: Department of Gynaecology, Puyang Third People's Hospital Puyang 457000, People's Republic of China.
authors: Liyan
authors: L
authors: Song
authors: Plastic Surgery Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Beijing 100144, People's Republic of China.
authors: Tinglu
authors: T
authors: Han
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China.
authors: Mei
authors: M
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China.
authors: Huihua
authors: H
authors: Liao
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jianjun
authors: J
authors: He
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510282, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xiaozhu
authors: X
authors: Zhong
keywords: Green tea; liver disease; meta-analysis; risk