Risk factors for chronic liver disease in Blacks, Mexican Americans, and Whites in the United States: results from NHANES IV, 1999-2004.
OBJECTIVE
Morbidity and mortality due to liver disease and cirrhosis vary significantly by race/ethnicity in the United States. We examined the prevalence of liver disease risk factors among blacks, Mexican Americans, and whites, including elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activity, infection with viral hepatitis B or hepatitis C, alcohol intake, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.


METHODS
Data were obtained from the Fourth National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV). A logistic regression was used to examine the association of race/ethnicity to liver disease risk factors, controlling for the demographic and socioeconomic variables.


RESULTS
Mexican-American men and women are the most likely to have elevated aminotransferase activity. Among men, Mexican Americans are more likely than whites to be heavy/binge drinkers, and blacks are more likely to have hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Among women, Mexican Americans are more likely than whites to be obese and diabetic, and less likely to be heavy/binge drinkers; blacks are more likely than whites to have hepatitis B or hepatitis C, be obese or diabetic, and less likely to be heavy/binge drinkers.


CONCLUSIONS
In this national sample, the prevalence of risk factors for liver disease varies by race/ethnicity. Mexican Americans and blacks have a greater risk of developing liver disease than their white counterparts. These findings are consistent with the observed racial/ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality due to chronic liver disease and contribute to the efforts to identify the causes of these disparities. This information can be used by health professionals to tailor screening and intervention programs.
Flores
Yvonne N
YN
UCLA Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California 90095-1772, USA.
Yee
Hal F
HF
Leng
Mei
M
Escarce
José J
JJ
Bastani
Roshan
R
Salmerón
Jorge
J
Morales
Leo S
LS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001741:Black or African American
D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases