Modest alcohol consumption and carotid plaques or carotid artery stenosis in men with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
BACKGROUND
Favorable association between modest alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease had been reported in general population, however, whether observed benefit extend to men with established fatty liver disease remains unknown.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 10,581 consecutive male participants aged 30 years or older undergoing abdominal ultrasonography and carotid artery ultrasonography were screened. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was diagnosed with ultrasonography and exclusion of secondary causes for fat accumulation or other causes of chronic liver disease. Modest alcohol use was defined as consumption of less than 20 g of alcohol per day.


RESULTS
There were total 2280 men diagnosed with fatty liver, and the mean age was 51.8 years old. Among them, 1797 were modest alcohol drinkers. The prevalence of carotid plaques (55.3% vs. 43.4%, p < 0.001) and carotid artery stenosis (11.0% vs. 5.5%, p < 0.001) was higher in non-drinkers than modest drinkers. Modest alcohol consumption had the independent inverse association with carotid plaques [odd ratio (OR): 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60-0.92] and carotid artery stenosis (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43-0.90), adjusted for age, smoking and metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Modest alcohol consumption had a favorable association with carotid plaque or CAS in men with NAFLD.
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Dong Hyun
DH
Sinn
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea. Electronic address: gy.gwak@samsung.com.
Geum-Youn
GY
Gwak
Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science and Technology, Sunkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Health, Behavior and Society and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
Juhee
J
Cho
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea; Center for Health Promotion, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Hee Jung
HJ
Son
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Yong-Han
YH
Paik
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Moon Seok
MS
Choi
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Joon Hyeok
JH
Lee
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Kwang Cheol
KC
Koh
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Seung Woon
SW
Paik
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea.
Byung Chul
BC
Yoo
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D015995:Prevalence; D065840:Protective Factors; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
Alcohol consumption; Cardiovascular disease; Carotid artery stenosis; Carotid plaques; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease