Risk assessment of alcohol and obesity on liver enzymes (transaminases, cholestatic)

Sobia Khawaja, Khalid Mahmood, Alia Munshi, Masarrat Yousuf, Fozia Tabassum, Sohail Shaukat

Center for Environmental Studies, PCSIR Labs Complex, Karachi, Pakistan.
Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
Institute of Biochemistry, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2012.47069                

Abstract

Background: This study was designed to investigate the BMI and alcohol consumption effects on hepatic enzymes. The degree of alteration among moderate drinkers is still unclear. Objective: To determine causes of liver failure due to alcohol and obesity. We observed the association between moderate alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) and transaminase, cholestatic enzymes. Design: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphate (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gammaglutamyltransferase (GGT) were examined in 995 healthy persons. In this study 400 persons were reported as abstainers and 595 participants involved as a moderate drinkers. The study population was further split into according to BMI as follows: <19 (underweight), ≥19 and <25 (normal weight), ≥25 and <30 (over- weight), and ≥30 (obese). Results: Serum ALT (P < 0.002), GGT (P < 0.001) and ALP (P < 0.001) but not AST (P < 0.883) activities in moderate drinkers were higher than those in abstainers. Mean ALT activity is higher in obese and over weight in alcohol consumers and abstainers as compared to mean AST activity in the same groups. ALP activity was increased with BMI in moderate drinkers. In abstainers activity of ALP shows weak relation in order to BMI. Conclusion: The result of moderate alcohol use raises activity of hepatic enzymes with increasing BMI. Most participants with alcohol consumption have an AST/ALT ratio above 1.

Keywords

Moderate Alcohol; Body Mass Index; Obesity; Liver Enzymes

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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