ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION AND SERUM LIVER-DERIVED ENZYMES IN A DANISH POPULATION AGED 30-50 YEARS

Background. Based on the increased consumption of alcohol in Denmark t he aim of this study was to measure prevalence of abnormal liver-deriv ed enzymes in a homogeneous Danish population and possible association s with alcohol consumption, smoking and body mass index (BMI), Method. In a representative population sample of 905 people (aged 30-50) from the baseline survey of the Ebeltoft Health Promotion Project in Denma rk, we examined prevalence of abnormal liver-derived enzymes and its p ossible association with self-reported alcohol consumption, smoking an d BMI, applying logistic regression analyses. Results. In a significan t proportion, 12% (women 8%; men 16%) of the cohort we found raised le vels of liver-derived enzymes associated with moderate self-reported a lcohol intake adjusted for BMI and smoking. If the intake was higher t han moderate, i.e. >28 units per week (one unit equals 12 g of alcohol ), the odds ratio (OR) for raised liver enzymes increased further; S-g amma-glutamyltranferase (GGT) (OR : for women 24.4; men 18.4), S-aspar tate-aminotransferase (ASAT) (24.2; 5.8) and S-alanine-aminotransferas e (ALAT) (27.2; 3.0). Furthermore, daily smoking increased the risk of raised liver enzymes in women (OR : 3.4-4.2), and obesity (BMI greate r than or equal to 30 kg/m(2)) in men showed a positive association wi th all three enzymes (OR : 3.0-9.0). Conclusions, The occurrence of ra ised liver-derived enzymes was frequent in the Danish population sampl e and associated with moderate self-reported alcohol consumption adjus ted for BMI and smoking.