Analysis of factors affecting hepatic dysfunction during group health checks for local inhabitants
Shinzawa, H.; Kuboki, M.; Togashi, H.; Wakabayashi, H.; Yamada, N.; Nakamura, T.; Ukai, K.; Saitoh, T.; Ishibashi, M.; Ahiko, T.
Rinsho Byori. Japanese Journal of Clinical Pathology 39(4): 346-351
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1860 PMID: 2051612 Document Number: 369783
During health checks within the framework of the Geriatric Health Law, hepatic dysfunction was detected at a high incidence in inhabitants of K town. The factors affecting hepatic dysfunction in these cases were explored. The number of inhabitants who received health checks in 1989 in this town was 4,491 (78.5% of all inhabitants aged over 35 years). A diagnosis of hepatic dysfunction was made if GOT was equal to or higher than 41 IU/l or GPT was equal to or higher than 39 IU/l. On this basis, hepatic dysfunction was detected in 418 inhabitants (9.8%). The incidence of hepatic dysfunction was higher in males than in females. Inhabitants younger than 50 years had a higher incidence than those 50 years or older. The percentage of inhabitants with either a history of alcohol consumption or of receiving blood transfusion was significantly higher for inhabitants with hepatic dysfunction (29% and 10%, respectively) than for healthy inhabitants (10% and 3%, respectively). HBs antigen and anti HCV antibody positive rates for inhabitants with hepatic dysfunction were 3.3% and 36.1% respectively. These results suggest that the relatively high rate of hepatic dysfunction in this town is related to alcohol consumption, blood transfusion and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Of these three factors, the influence of HCV infection seemed to be the most influential. The study additionally disclosed variations in the incidence of hepatic dysfunction among the different regions of the town probably related to regional differences in the anti-HCV antibody positive rate.