Risk of fatty infiltration or cirrhosis of the liver in relation to ethanol consumption: a case-control study

A case-control study was conducted to investigate the risk of either fatty infiltration of the liver or cirrhosis, in males and females, in relation to varying levels of ethanol consumption. Male and female cases of fatty infiltration of the liver (47 males and 43 females) and male and female cases of cirrhosis (85 males and 66 females) were identified during 1981-1982 as part of a liver biopsy study in 6 teaching hospitals in Toronto. All cases were confirmed by biopsy. Male and female controls (394 males and 225 females) were obtained from 7 different local industries during the same period as part of a study for the early detection of liver disease. Cases and controls were interviewed by a nurse practitioner using a standard questionnaire designed to elicit data on daily and cumulative alcohol consumption. In both males and females, a dose-response effect between increasing levels of both daily and cumulative alcohol consumption and increasing risk of either fatty liver or cirrhosis was demonstrated and was independent of effects of age and duration of consumption. In males, risk for fatty liver was 1.37 (95% CL = 0.47, 4.0) for those consuming 40-59 g absolute alcohol/day compared to males consuming less than 40 g/day, rising to 50 (95% CL = 15.0, 170.7) for males consuming 80 or more g/day. In females, risk for fatty liver appeared at lower levels and was 2.82 (95% CL = 1.02, 7.82) for females consuming 20-59 g/day compared to females consuming less than 20 g/day, rising to 8.53 (95% CL = 2.12, 34.31) for females consuming 60 or more g/day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)