Atypical antipsychotics and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in children and adolescents: A systematic review.

This article systematically reviews and meta-analyzes the association between atypical antipsychotics (AAP) and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in children and adolescents under 18 years. MASLD, the most common pediatric liver disease linked to metabolic syndrome and liver cirrhosis, was examined in three eligible studies that varied in design and population, including children with autism spectrum disorder and obesity. The meta-analysis found a small, statistically nonsignificant positive association between AAP use and MASLD, with considerable heterogeneity among studies, highlighting limitations in current evidence. The review emphasizes the need for careful liver function monitoring and metabolic risk assessment in pediatric patients prescribed AAPs and calls for prospective longitudinal research using standardized diagnostic methods to clarify this relationship.