Presentation Number: 386 Poster Board Number: 386
Purpose: Studies have suggested that consumption of alcohol associates with a lower risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the effect of alcohol on disease severity has not yet been investigated. Our objectives were to study the association between alcohol consumption, and susceptibility and severity of RA.
Method: Frequency of alcohol consumption was recorded by patients and controls in a self completed questionnaire. Odds ratios for RA risk were calculated according to alcohol consumption, adjusted for age, gender and smoking status. Median values of all RA severity measures were then calculated according to frequency of alcohol consumption, and the non-parametric trend test was used to assess association. A quantile regression model was used to adjust for potential confounding.
Results: 873 patients with erosive RA, and 1004 healthy controls were included in the study. Risk of RA decreased according to frequency of alcohol consumption, such that non drinkers had an odds ratio for RA of 4.17 (3.01 – 5.77) compared to subjects consuming alcohol on >10 days per month. All measures of RA severity including C-reactive protein, 28 joint disease activity score, pain visual analogue scale , modified Health Assessment Questionnaire, and modified Larsen score were inversely associated with increasing frequency of alcohol consumption. After adjustment for potential confounders in a multivariate regression model, frequency of alcohol consumption remained significantly and inversely associated with X ray damage ).
Conclusion: This study suggests that alcohol consumption has an inverse and dose related association with both risk and severity of RA, but we would recommend a prospective study to confirm our findings.
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