Im PK, Millwood IY, Kartsonaki C, et al. - According to this large prospective study, alcohol consumption was related to considerably higher risks of numerous major chronic liver illnesses in Chinese men, and particular drinking patterns (eg, drinking every day, drinking without meals) may enhance disease risks.

• The sample consisted of 512,715 adults aged 30 to 79 years.

• At baseline, 33% of males and 2% of women drank alcohol on a regular (at least weekly) basis.

• Alcohol consumption showed positive dose-response associations with risks of several major chronic liver diseases among male current regular drinkers, with HRs per 280 g/week (ie, around four drinks/day) higher usual alcohol intake of 1.44 for liver cancer (n = 547), 1.83 for liver cirrhosis (n = 388), 2.01 for alcoholic liver disease [ALD] (n = 200), 1.71 for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (n = 198), and 1.52 for total liver disease (n = 1775).

• The relationship with ALD was stronger in men who reported flushing (ie, with low alcohol tolerance).

• After controlling for total weekly alcohol intake, daily drinkers had a considerably higher risk of ALD than non-daily drinkers, and drinking without meals was associated with significantly higher risks of liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, and ALD than drinking with meals.

• Female current regular drinkers had a considerably increased risk of ALD than female abstainers, but not of other liver diseases.