A Cross-sectional Study between Herbal Medicine Intake and Abnormal Liver Function Test Results

간기능검사이상의 위험요인으로써 한약복용영향에 관한 단면연구

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of herbal medicine and other associated factors for abnormal liver function tests(especially total bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ${\gamma}$GT) levels in outpatients at an oriental medical clinic. Methods : A cross-sectional study based on clinical records was conducted on 504 patients at one Oriental medical clinic in Seoul, Korea. They were tested a liver function tests for screening and 497 patients ranging from the age of 4 to 74 were chosen for the study. Patients with basal liver disease or DM were excluded during the screening process. Patients were classified into case(abnormal) and control(normal) groups by normal liver function test references. Results and Conclusions : In this study, Significant correlations for abnormal total bilirubin levels was age, for abnormal AST was gender, for abnormal ALT were gender, smoking, marriage status, and job, for abnormal ${\gamma}$GT were age, gender, obesity, alcohol, smoking, marriage status, and job using the Chi-square test(p<0.05). There was no significant correlations for abnormal LFTs by using herbal medication history, and intake duration. After controlling other covariates, logistic regression analysis showed that the significant associated factors for abnormal total bilirubin levels were age(odds ratio[OR]=0.87, 95% confidence intervals [CI]=0.87-0.99). For abnormal AST levels was obesity(OR=2.45, CI=1.2-4.9), for abnormal ALT levels were age(OR=1.01, CI=0.99-1.03), male gender(OR=3.31, CI=1.62-6.76), and obesity(OR=3.71 CI=2.28-6.08). For abnormal ${\gamma}$GT levels were male gender(OR=4.83 CI=1.34-17.43), obesity(OR=3.29, CI=1.74-6.22), alcohol (OR=2.51, CI=1.19-5.28), and smoking(OR=2.29, CI=1.16-4.50). Herbal medication history was not as a risk factor for all abnormal liver function tests. Therefore, people who are male, obese, alcohol drinker and smoker will have higher liver function test levels. But intake of herbal medication or the duration of intake may not be the risk factor for abnormal liver function test results.