Effect of evacuation on liver function after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: The Fukushima Health Management Survey

Abstract

BackgroundThe Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident caused residents to switch from their normal lives to lives focused on evacuation. We evaluated liver function before and after this disaster to elucidate the effects of evacuation on liver function.MethodsThis study was a longitudinal survey of 26,006 Japanese men and women living near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This study was undertaken using data from annual health checkups conducted for persons aged 40–90 years between 2008 and 2010. Follow-up examinations were conducted from June 2011 to the end of March 2013, with a mean follow up of 1.6 years. Changes in liver function before and after the disaster were compared among evacuees and non-evacuees. We also assessed groups according to alcohol drinking status.ResultsThe prevalence of liver dysfunction significantly increased in all participants from 16.4% before to 19.2% after the disaster. The incidence of liver dysfunction was significantly higher in evacuees than in non-evacuees. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that evacuation was significantly associated with liver dysfunction among residents.ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that evacuation due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster was associated with an increase in liver dysfunction.

Effects of Psychological and Lifestyle Factors on Metabolic Syndrome Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident: The Fukushima Health Management Survey

“…Diabetes and dyslipidemia were defined as previously reported 6) . Evacuation was defined by residential area and housing status, as previously reported 14) .…”

“…Moreover, mental status is also associated with MetS [2][3][4] . In the Comprehensive Health Check of Fukushima Health Management Survey (FHMS), we showed that evacuation was associated with various health problems, including MetS [5][6][7][8][9][10][11] . Moreover, the Mental Health and Lifestyle Survey in FHMS reported changes in mental status and lifestyle factors following the disaster 12) .…”

“…Previous studies in the FHMS [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] were evaluated independently, and thus lifestyle factors associated with MetS were limited to items assessed during an ordinary health check-up. Consequently, the association between MetS and disaster-related factors has not been estimated.…”

Intermittent Hypoxic Conditioning Alleviates Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-Induced Damage and Dysfunction of Rat Visceral Organs and Brain

“…In humans with PTSD, the glycogen depletion may contribute to development of metabolic syndrome and its associated cardiovascular risk factors, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension [51,52]. Survivors of the earthquake and tsunami following accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant who developed PTSD after evacuation [53] had a significantly higher prevalence of hepatobiliary enzyme abnormality (HEA), which was defined as high ALT, AST, or GTP [53,54]. Pharmacological treatment of PTSD is likely to further damage the liver [53,55,56].…”

Autoimmune hepatitis, fatty liver, and Fukushima

“…A longitudinal survey of 26,006 Japanese men and women living near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was undertaken, using data before and after the disaster, with a mean followup of 1.6 years 42) . In all participants, the prevalence of hepatobiliary enzyme abnormality (HEA) significantly increased from 16.4% before the disaster to 19.2% after the disaster.…”