title: Coffee consumption is associated with lower serum aminotransferases in the general Korean population and in those at high risk for hepatic disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The favourable effects of coffee on liver enzymes have been reported worldwide. This study investigated the association between coffee consumption and serum aminotransferase concentration in Korean adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration were defined as >30 IU/L for men and >19 IU/L for women. The risk of elevated ALT and AST according to general characteristics and frequency of coffee consumption were tested by chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of elevated ALT was 27.4%, 27.8%, and 26.9% in subjects who drank <1, 1, and >=2 times/day, respectively. The proportions of individuals with elevated AST were 32.5%, 33.1%, and 26.7% in subjects who drank <1, 1, and >=2 times/day, respectively. The aORs for elevated ALT and AST were significantly lower in subjects who drank >=2 times of coffee/day than in those who drank <1 time/day (ALT: aOR=0.86, 95% CI=0.79-0.94; AST: aOR=0.83, 95% CI=0.76-0.91). In subgroup analysis, consumption of >=2 times/day was associated with lower ORs for elevated ALT in the high-risk group overall and in the viral hepatitis and obesity subgroups, respectively. In sensitivity analysis, reduced frequency of coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk for elevated liver enzymes, although an association between coffee consumption and elevated ALT was not observed in women or current smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher coffee consumption was associated with lower risk of elevated aminotransferase concentration in Korean adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeongup Asan Hospital, Jeongup, Korea.
authors.forename: Myueng Guen
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea. Email: mahan@chosun.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Mi Ah
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Man Woo
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Guk
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Dae
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D003069:Coffee; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase