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Published on: August 5, 2012
Coffee intake and mortality from liver cirrhosis
Aage Tverdal1, Svetlana Skurtveit
1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Annals of Epidemiology
|July 24, 2003
Summary
Drinking coffee is associated with a lower risk of death from liver cirrhosis. This study found that coffee consumption may protect against liver disease mortality, including alcoholic cirrhosis.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Epidemiology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Liver cirrhosis is a significant cause of mortality worldwide.
- Coffee consumption is widespread and has been linked to various health outcomes.
- Understanding modifiable lifestyle factors like coffee intake is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and mortality due to liver cirrhosis.
- To determine if coffee intake influences the risk of developing or dying from liver cirrhosis, including alcoholic cirrhosis.
Main Methods:
- A mortality follow-up study of 51,306 adults screened for cardiovascular disease between 1977-1983.
- Analysis of death certificates over a 17-year period to identify causes of death, specifically liver cirrhosis.
- Statistical adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors, including age, sex, and alcohol consumption.
Main Results:
- A reduced relative risk of 0.6 (95% CI, 0.5-0.8) for liver cirrhosis mortality was observed with an increase of two cups of coffee.
- This inverse association was consistent for both general liver cirrhosis and specifically alcoholic cirrhosis.
- When cirrhosis was the underlying cause of death, the protective effect of coffee became more pronounced.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms an inverse association between coffee consumption and liver cirrhosis mortality.
- Coffee intake appears to have a protective effect against liver cirrhosis, regardless of its cause.
- Findings suggest coffee may be a beneficial dietary factor in liver disease prevention.
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