The Effects of Cigarette Smoking and Alcohol Consumption on Serum Liver Enzyme Activities: A Dose-Related Study in Men

Abstract

SUMMARY. The separate and joint effects of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption on serum activities of the enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (AL T) and y-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were investigated in 46775 men attending the BUPA Health Screening Centre in London during the period 1983-1987, after allowing for differences in age, body mass index and exercise level. As expected, all showed a significant positive correlation with alcohol consumption. Cigarette smoking produced a significant increase in GGT activity in all drinking categories bar teetotallers, particularly for those smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. There were no changes of clinical significance in AST or ALT activities with smoking. We postulate that the combined effects of alcohol and smoking on GGT activity are a result of induction of the enzyme by both alcohol and nicotine. Smoking as well as drinking habits should be taken into account when assessing the significance of an individual's enzyme activities. Additional key phrases: aspartate aminotransferase; alanine aminotransferase; gamma glutamyl transferase; nicotineIn a previous study! of the separate but not combined effects of alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, exercise and body mass on the liver enzymes gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (AL T) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), it was concluded that cigarette smoking had a significant effect on GGT activity, but only a weak effect on ALT and AST. Using multivariate analysis, the changes in the activities of the latter two enzymes with smoking were found to be nonsignificant. Along with alcohol consumption, body mass index was found to be a significant factor in producing an increase in the serum enzymes. The study involved 15740 men attending the BUPA Health Screening Centre in London in 1987.In the present study, using a larger number of men attending the same centre, the separate and combined efects of smoking and alcohol consumption on liver enzymes have been assessed in a dose-related manner.Correspondence: D Robinson. SUBJECTS AND METHODSA total of 46775 men attending the BUPA Health Screening Centre in London during the period 1983-1987 were studied. They were predominantly from socio-economic groups A, Band CI, and attended the Centre either of their own volition or as part of a corporate health care scheme.Each subject completed a questionnaire which included questions as to whether he was a lifelong non-smoker, an ex-smoker or a current smoker of cigarettes. All ex-smokers were grouped together in the same category, as information regarding how long an individual had given up smoking was not available. Current smokers were asked to state how many cigarettes they smoked each day, artd were then divided into four groups: those smoking 1~1O, 11-20,21-30 or 31 + cigarettes per day.Each subject was also asked whether he was teetotal, an occasional drinker or a regular drinker. If a regular drinker he was asked how many units of alcohol he consumed each day....

Thromboembolic injury and systemic toxicity induced by nicotine in mice

“…The rise in the AST and ALT after the nicotine is well attributed to the damage caused by systemically treated nicotine thereby inducing the release of AST and ALT from the liver. However, the multi center clinical study on chronic smokers in men in London showed no significance changes in AST or ALT activities with smoking (Whitehead et al 1996). Liver enzyme GGT is an important predictor of incidence and mortality of various diseases in particular to cardiovascular risk was not influenced by nicotine treatment in our study.…”

Serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Activity among Diabetic Patients

“…In a on healthy male workers ( Chan-Yeung et al, 1981). However, in the current study and similar to another report this correlation was not significant (Jang et al, 2012;Meltzer et al, 1986;Whitehead et al, 1996).…”

“…However, in the study on Danish Population as well as a study based on male in London reported the raised level serum liver enzymes with self-reported alcohol consumption (Steffensen et al, 1997;Whitehead et al, 1996). This could be because the total alcohol consumption in our subjects might have been lower than in other studies.…”

Gamma Glutamyltransferase and Long-Term Survival: Is It Just the Liver?

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