2018 Volume 33 Issue 4 Pages 579-585
Objective: We conducted a detailed analysis of liver dysfunction in order to perform meaningful health guidance.
Methods: From among 21,730 individuals (13,162 men, 8,568 women), we extracted those who had liver dysfunction and classified them into three groups, (1) ALT ≧ 31 IU/L and ALT>AST, (2) AST ≧ 31 IU/L and AST>ALT, (3) γ-GTP ≧ 101 IU/L and both ALT and AST in normal range.
Results: Proportions of subjects in Groups (1) – (3) were 30.8, 3.8, and 2.5% for men and 7.5, 1.8, and 0.5% for women, respectively. In group (1), drinking habit was significantly less prevalent and fatty liver more prevalent than in group (2) and (3), suggesting that NAFLD is a major cause of liver dysfunction. In group (2) and (3), drinking habit was significantly more prevalent and fatty liver less prevalent than in group (1), with prevalence of fatty liver similar to that in individuals with measurements in the reference ranges. Therefore, factors that seemed to play a major role in liver dysfunction were alcoholic liver injury in group (2) and enzyme induction due to alcohol intake in group (3). Things that should also be considered are smoking or underlying heart disease in men in group (2) and (3), and other causative factors in women in group (3). In addition, it was felt that individuals of unknown etiology in group (3) should have further evaluation to elucidate their clinical etiology including examination for autoimmune liver disease.
Conclusion: A good understanding of the clinical situation of liver dysfunction is required to promote regular annual examination.
