TABLE 2.

Adjusted hazard ratios for the development of any type of cancer by AST/ALT ratio category by gender

AST/ALT ratio	Number of any type of cancer development Adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval)
	Very low First quintile	Low Second quintile	Middle Third quintile	High Fourth quintile	Very high Fifth quintile
Men
All participants	536	637	409	357	277
	0.96 (0.84–1.11)	1.03 (0.91–1.17)	Reference	1.07 (0.93–1.23)	1.17 (0.99–1.36)
Only abstainers	159	153	92	64	32
	0.94 (0.72–1.22)	0.94 (0.72–1.22)	Reference	0.83 (0.60–1.15)	0.64 (0.42–0.97)
Only occasional drinkers	85	81	61	45	30
	0.69 (0.48–0.98)	0.72 (0.52–1.01)	Reference	0.72 (0.48–1.06)	1.06 (0.68–1.66)
Only regular drinkers	292	403	256	248	215
	1.04 (0.87–1.25)	1.14 (0.97–1.33)	Reference	1.26 (1.05–1.50)	1.36 (1.13–1.63)
Women
All participants	172	412	497	691	713
	1.16 (0.96–1.39)	1.00 (0.88–1.15)	Reference	1.03 (0.91–1.15)	1.02 (0.91–1.14)
Only abstainers	105	230	259	356	314
	1.17 (0.91–1.49)	0.97 (0.88–1.21)	Reference	1.03 (0.88–1.21)	0.98 (0.83–1.16)
Only occasional drinkers	32	86	94	120	130
	1.02 (0.67–1.56)	1.13 (0.84–1.52)	Reference	1.03 (0.79–1.36)	1.04 (0.79–1.36)
Only regular drinkers	35	96	144	215	269
	1.33 (0.90–1.95)	0.97 (0.75–1.26)	Reference	1.03 (0.83–1.28)	1.04 (0.85–1.28)

Models were adjusted for age; sex; body mass index; smoking status; alcohol consumption (only for all participants); exercise habits; medical histories of hypertension, diabetes, and fatty liver; family history of any type of cancer; and the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen, and HBs antibody. The numbers in bold represent that the p value is <0.05.

Abbreviations: ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase.