A cohort study of the effect of alcohol consumption and obesity on serum liver enzyme levels.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a cohort study of the effect of alcohol and obesity on liver enzymes in China.


METHODS
To study 500 individuals of liver enzymes normality randomly in the 1999-year epidemiological survey, and liver enzyme levels (461 complete data) in 2006.


RESULTS
Logistic-regression analysis showed a daily alcohol intake of at least 40 g, duration of drinking at least 10 years, and obesity, which were closely related to abnormality in liver enzyme levels; the relative risk (95% confidence interval) was 2.014 (1.108-3.662), 2.085 (1.106-3.928), and 1.772 (1.140-2.754), respectively (all P<0.05). According to the value of daily alcohol intake/duration of drinking and body mass index (BMI) to categorize, seven-year cumulative incidence of liver enzymes levels abnormality for the daily alcohol intake at least 40 g and obesity group or the duration of drinking at least 10 years and obesity group was the highest, 51.47 and 47.12%, respectively. No significant dose-response relationship was found between daily alcohol intake/duration of drinking and liver enzyme level abnormalities.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of alcohol consumption and obesity-inducing liver injury together is far greater than the risk of a single factor inducing liver injury. An alcoholic threshold effect may be more important than a dose-response effect on liver enzyme levels.
Shen
Zhe
Z
Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Medicine School, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Li
Youming
Y
Yu
Chaohui
C
Shen
Yi
Y
Xu
Lei
L
Xu
Chengfu
C
Xu
Genyun
G
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D012307:Risk Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase