title: Alcohol consumption, folate intake, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver disease mortality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor for liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous studies have found that increased alcohol consumption can lead to lower absorption of folate. Conversely, higher folate intake has been inversely associated with liver damage and HCC. In the current study, we investigate the effect of alcohol consumption and folate intake on HCC incidence and liver disease mortality in the NIH-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 494,743 participants who reported at baseline their dietary intake for the previous year. Alcohol and folate were analyzed with hazards ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for age, sex, race, education, smoking, body mass index, and diabetes. HCC incidence (n = 435) was determined through 2006 via linkage with cancer registries, and liver disease mortality (n = 789) was determined through 2008 via linkage to the U.S. Social Security Administration Death Master File and the National Death Index Plus by the National Center for Health Statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consumption of more than three drinks per day was positively associated with both HCC incidence (HR: 1.92; 95%CI: 1.42-2.60) and liver disease mortality (HR: 5.84; 95%CI: 4.81-7.10), whereas folate intake was associated with neither outcome. Folate, however, modified the relationship between alcohol and HCC incidence (Pinteraction = 0.03), but had no effect on the relationship between alcohol and liver disease mortality (Pinteraction = 0.54).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that higher folate intake may ameliorate the effect of alcohol consumption on the development of HCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Folate intake may be beneficial in the prevention of alcohol-associated HCC.
authors: Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, 6120 Executive Blvd, EPS/Suite 550/Room 5008, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA. christina.persson@nih.gov
authors: E Christina
authors: EC
authors: Persson
authors: Lauren M
authors: LM
authors: Schwartz
authors: Yikyung
authors: Y
authors: Park
authors: Britton
authors: B
authors: Trabert
authors: Albert R
authors: AR
authors: Hollenbeck
authors: Barry I
authors: BI
authors: Graubard
authors: Neal D
authors: ND
authors: Freedman
authors: Katherine A
authors: KA
authors: McGlynn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid