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A meta-analysis of alcohol consumption and the risk of gout

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Abstract

Alcohol consumption had been linked to the risk of gout theoretically, but the results from observational studies were conflicting. Hence, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of gout. A comprehensive search was performed to identify all eligible studies on the association of alcohol consumption with gout risk. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) from fixed and random effects models were calculated. A total of 12 articles with 17 studies involving 42,924 cases met the inclusion criteria. The pooled RR for highest vs. non/occasional alcohol drinking in every study was 1.98 (95 % CI, 1.52–2.58). The RRs for light (≤1 drink/day), moderate (>1 to <3 drinks/day), and heavy drinking (≥3 drinks/day) vs. non/occasional alcohol drinking were 1.16 (95 % CI, 1.07–1.25), 1.58 (95 % CI, 1.50–1.66), and 2.64 (95 % CI, 2.26–3.09), respectively. The results suggested that alcohol consumption might be associated with increased risk of gout.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Medical College of Qingdao University, No.38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao, 266021, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Meiyun Wang, Xiubo Jiang, Wenlong Wu & Dongfeng Zhang

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  1. Meiyun Wang
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  2. Xiubo Jiang
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  3. Wenlong Wu
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  4. Dongfeng Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiubo Jiang.

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Meiyun Wang and Xiubo Jiang equally contributed to this study.

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Wang, M., Jiang, X., Wu, W. et al. A meta-analysis of alcohol consumption and the risk of gout. Clin Rheumatol 32, 1641–1648 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-013-2319-y

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