Cross-Sectional Study of the Association Between Housing Type Post-Great East Japan Earthquake and Liver Enzymes: Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study

Abstract

The Great East Japan Earthquake significantly impacted Japanese residents’ lives and housing conditions. Housing type after a disaster may affect liver function; however, few studies have reported this association. This study analyzed the association between housing type after the Great East Japan Earthquake and abnormal liver enzymes. This cross-sectional study included 35,531 participants (aged 40–74 years) from Miyagi Prefecture. Abnormal liver enzymes were defined as aspartate aminotransferase ≥40 IU/L or alanine aminotransferase ≥40 IU/L, or gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase ≥50 IU/L. To assess associations between housing type after the Great East Japan Earthquake and abnormal liver enzymes, prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, adjusting for lifestyle variables, body mass index, and history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Abnormal liver enzyme levels were observed in 19.2% of the participants. The adjusted prevalence odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for abnormal liver enzymes among individuals who had lived in the same housing with half damage or more as before the Great East Japan Earthquake were 1.14 (1.04–1.26) compared with the reference group with less than half damage. High gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels contributed to the association between housing type after the Great East Japan Earthquake and individual liver enzyme levels. However, when stratified by sex and drinking status, these trends were not statistically significant. This study shows a significant association between maintaining the same housing as before the Great East Japan Earthquake and abnormal liver enzyme levels. Housing type can be considered in addressing liver dysfunction among disaster-affected residents.