[Hepatic markers in a population of tavern customers]

We undertook this study to determine the prevalence of hepatic enzymes alterations in ambulant and healthy daily consumers of alcoholic beverages. In order to achieve this aim, a population of 107 regular customers from Coimbra's taverns was utilised. The percentage of results above the reference values was: Alk. Ph.-0%, AST/ALT--10.3%, T. Bil.--18.7%, ALT--37.4%, AST--44.9%, D. Bil.--52.3%, GGT--54.2%, GIDH--55.8%; seven individuals had normal levels of all hepatic markers, seventeen had 1 altered parameter, twenty two had 2, fourteen had 3, fifteen had 4, twenty had 5, eleven had 6, and one had 7. However, most of the alterations occur to levels close to normality. The correlation with the doses of alcohol is positive but low for all studied parameters, being statistically significant for some of them. The main conclusion of the present work is the demonstration that almost all tavern customers may already have disturbances of their hepatic biochemistry, though they look healthy, what represents an important and serious Public Health problem.