A Cohort Study Of Alcohol Consumption And Alcohol-related Liver Injury

Background: To investigate the association of alcohol dose, duration of drinking and obesity with liver injury, and the incidence of alcohol-related liver injury in China.Methods: Based on the 1999-year epidemiological survey of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in Zhejiang Province, we selected 500 individuals without liver injury in 1999 by computer sampling and actually acquired 461 complete data including demographic status, drinking history, body mass index (BMI) and serum indexes in the 2006-year follow-up survey.Results: Logistic-regression analysis showed that daily alcohol intake≥40 g, duration of drinking≥10 years and obesity were closely related to alcohol-related liver injury, the relative risk (RR)(95%CI) was 2.014 (1.108-3.662), 2.085 (1.106-3.928) and 1.772 (1.140-2.754), respectively (all P<0.05). The seven-year cumulative incidences of alcohol-related liver injury for daily alcohol intake≥40 g population and duration of drinking≥10 years population were 39.66% and 36.18%. No significant dose-response relation was found between daily alcohol intake and alcohol-related liver injury as well as between duration of drinking and alcohol-related liver injury. In daily alcohol intake 40~80g, 80-160g,≥160g population, the population attributable risk percentage (PAR%) for alcohol-related liver injury was 7.22%, 7.20%, 2.18%, respectively (all P<0.05). In duration of drinking 10-20 years, 20-40 years population, the PAR% for alcohol-related liver injury was 24.81%, 22.38%, respectively (all P<0.05).Conclusions: Daily alcohol intake≥40 g and duration of drinking≥10 years were two important risk factors for alcohol-related liver injury in China, the seven-year cumulative incidences of alcohol-related liver injury for daily alcohol intake≥40 g population and duration of drinking≥10 years population were 39.66% and 36.18%. Obesity induced liver injury should also be concerned.