Coffee and tea consumption are associated with a lower incidence of chronic liver disease in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
Coffee drinking has been suggested to protect against liver injury, but it is uncertain whether this is of clinical significance. We examined the relationship of coffee and tea consumption with the incidence of hospitalization or death from chronic liver disease (CLD).


METHODS
Participants in the population-based, first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1971-1975, were asked about coffee and tea consumption, which was categorized as <1 cup (mean, 0.2 cups), 1 to 2 cups, and >2 cups per day (mean, 4.0 cups). A second analysis included persons who, in 1982-1984, were asked more detailed questions on coffee and tea drinking. Participants were followed through 1992-1993 for a hospital or death certificate diagnosis of CLD or cirrhosis (ICD-9-CM 571). Hazard rate ratios for CLD according to coffee and tea intake were calculated using Cox proportional hazards analysis.


RESULTS
Among 9849 persons followed for a median of 19.0 years (range, 0.02-22.1), the cumulative incidence of CLD was 1.4%. In multivariate analysis, participants who drank >2 cups per day had less than half the rate of CLD as those who drank <1 cup per day (hazard ratio, 0.43, 95% confidence interval: 0.24-0.78). Protection by coffee and tea was limited to persons at higher risk for liver diseases from heavier alcohol intake, overweight, diabetes, or high iron saturation. Among 9650 participants who provided detailed drink information in 1982-1984, intake of regular ground coffee and of caffeine was associated with lower incidence of CLD.


CONCLUSIONS
Coffee and tea drinking decreases the risk of clinically significant CLD.
Ruhl
Constance E
CE
Social and Scientific Systems, Inc, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA. cruhl@s-3.com
Everhart
James E
JE
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003069:Coffee; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013662:Tea; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D003069:Coffee; D013662:Tea