Drinking Coffee Daily Lowers Risk for Chronic Hepatitis C Progression

Drinking three or more cups of coffee per day is linked to a lower risk for progression of chronic hepatitis C, according to the results of a new study.

Researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI; Rockville, MD, USA) examined the relationship of coffee consumption with liver disease progression in 766 patients with advanced hepatitis C-related liver disease participating in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial. Baseline coffee and tea intake were assessed in those patients who had bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis on liver biopsy, and who also failed to achieve a sustained virological response to peginterferon plus ribavirin treatment. The participants were followed for 3.8 years to evaluate clinical outcomes.

The researchers found that at baseline, higher coffee consumption was associated with less severe steatosis on biopsy, lower serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, alpha-fetoprotein, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA2) score, and higher albumin. Outcome rates in person-years (PY) of 230 of these patients declined with increasing coffee intake: 11.1/100 PY for none, 12.1 for less than 1 cup per day, 8.2 for 1 to fewer than 3 cups per day, and 6.3 for 3 or more cups per day. Relative risk ratios were 1.11 for less than 1 cup per day; 0.70 for 1 to fewer than 3 cups per day; and 0.47 for 3 or more cups per day, when compared to not drinking; the risk estimates did not vary by treatment assignment or cirrhosis status at baseline, and tea (either green or black) intake was not associated with outcomes. The study was published in the November 2009 issue of Hepatology.

"Given the large number of people affected by hepatitis C it is important to identify modifiable risk factors associated with the progression of liver disease,” said lead author Neal Freedman, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics. "Although we cannot rule out a possible role for other factors that go along with drinking coffee, results from our study suggest that patients with high coffee intake had a lower risk of disease progression.”

Recent research into coffee's health benefits has revealed some surprising associations with coffee consumption, including decreased risks of alcoholic cirrhosis, type 2 diabetes, gallstone development, liver damage in those with liver disease, and liver cancer.

Related Links:
U.S. National Cancer Institute