title: Alcoholic fatty liver disease elevates estimated coronary heart disease risk to levels comparable with those of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the Korean population: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A close relationship has been established between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and an elevated risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but little is known about the association between alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) and CHD risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether AFLD is associated with elevated CHD risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively enrolled 10,710 subjects out of 11,469 individuals who visited the Konkuk University Health Care Center for a routine health checkup in 2010. AFLD was diagnosed made when the usual amount of alcohol consumption exceeded 210 g/week in males and 140 g/week in females for the previous 2 years and when hepatic steatosis was detected by liver ultrasonography. The 10-year risk for CHD was estimated using the Framingham Risk Score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hepatic steatosis was diagnosed in 4,142 of the 10,710 individuals (38.7%); the remainder (i.e., n=6,568) became the control group. The 4,142 individuals with hepatic steatosis were divided into two groups: NAFLD (n=2,953) and AFLD (n=1,189). The risk of CHD was higher in AFLD (6.72±0.12) than in the control group (5.50±0.04, P<0.001), and comparable to that in NAFLD (7.32±0.07, P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with AFLD have an elevated 10-year risk of CHD that is comparable to those with NAFLD. Therefore, AFLD should be considered a significant risk for future CHD, and preventive measures should be considered earlier.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hai Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Won Hyeok
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Alcoholic fatty liver; Coronary heart disease risk; Framingham risk score