ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION, GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSPEPTIDASE (GGT), AND PULMONARY-FUNCTION - A CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL-STUDY IN WORKING MEN

Epidemiological studies of the relationships between pulmonary functio n and reported alcohol intake showed inconsistent results. The use of biological markers of alcohol is needed. The objective of this study w as to assess the relationships of alcohol consumption, assessed by a s tandardized questionnaire, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), to forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) level and decline over 10 ye ars, in working men. Three hundred twenty-eight policemen aged 22-55 y ears were examined in 1980 (first survey) and again in 1990 (second su rvey). The two cross-sectional analyses used the 1980 data and the 199 0 data separately. Longitudinal analysis used 1980 alcohol consumption and GGT values, and 10-year FEV1 decline. In both cross-sectional sur veys, elevated alcohol consumption was significantly associated with i mpaired age-adjusted and height-adjusted FEV1. Further adjustment for smoking habit, education level, and asthmatic status did not alter the se results. An increase of 25 g/day of alcohol was associated with 50. 0 ml (95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 98.5) and 55.3 ml (95% confidenc e interval: 7.8 to 102.8) decrease of corresponding multivariate-adjus ted FEV1 in 1980 and in 1990, respectively. GGT was also negatively as sociated with FEV1 in both cross-sectional surveys. Similar patterns o f associations were also observed between vital capacity measurements and alcohol variables. In the longitudinal analysis, there was no rela tionship between either alcohol consumption or GGT and FEV1 decline. F indings suggest that alcohol consumption was associated with impaired lung function, but there was no evidence of accelerated FEV1 decline o ver 10 years related to alcohol consumption in this ''healthy'' popula tion of middle-aged men.