The relationship between alcohol consumption and serum liver enzymes in men

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: It is well known that heavy alcohol consumption may result in various lesions on multiple organs and tissue, especially liver. The aim of this study was to measure prevalence of raised liver derived enzymes in healthy men and possible association with alcohol consumption, smoking and body mass index. METHODS: All subjects were 450 men who received Adult Health Examination at Seoul Hospital of Konkuk medical center from May, 1998 to October, 1998. We carried out telephone survey and analyzed 360 men, excluding men with HBs Ag(+), hepatic problems within 6 months, medication drug that could change serum activity of hepatic enzyme or joints, myscles, cardiac problem and non responder to telephone survey. We examined prevalence of raised liver enzymes and its possible association with alcohol consumption, smoking, and body mass index, applying logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: In 20.3% of study subjects, we found raised levels of lver derived enzymes. If the alcohol consumption was higher than 270 g/week, the odds ratio(OR) for raised liver enzymes, adjusted for body mass index and smoking, increased ; serum gamma glutamyltransferase(gamma GTP)(OR: 9.48), serum aspartate aminotransferase(AST)(OR: 13.09), and serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(OR: 7.40). Smoking was not associated with the risk of raised liver enzymes and obesity(body mass index 25 kg/m2) showed a positive association with two enzymes; gamma GTP(OR: 1.92) and ALT(OR: 2.08). CONCLUSION: If alcohol consumption was higher than 270 g/week, the risk of raised liver enzymes increased dramatically and gamma GTP, AST were shown more sensitive than ALT in alcoholic liver disease.