- Alcohol consumption appears to protect against development of rheumatoid arthritis, according to findings published in the February issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Dr. Henrik Kallberg, of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues examined the association between the risk of RA and alcohol consumption taking into account potential interactions between alcohol consumption, smoking, and the presence of HLA-DRB1 SE alleles. They used data from two Scandinavian case-controls studies of RA, involving a total of 1648 cases and 1404 controls.
Alcohol consumption was significantly more common in controls in both studies. A significant dose-dependent association was observed between alcohol consumption and reduced risk of RA (p for trend < 0.001). Among subjects who drank alcohol, those with the highest consumption had a 40% to 50% lower risk of RA compared to those with the lowest consumption.
For the subset of patients with antibodies to citrullinated peptide antigens, alcohol intake reduced the risk in most smokers carrying HLA-DRB1 SE alleles.
"Our findings could give some further clues regarding mechanisms involved in the disease process," Dr. Kallberg commented to Reuters Health. "It is still too early to give any recommendations regarding alcohol consumption as a potential substance for prevention of RA."
"Our next step is to continue to integrate genetic and environmental factors in the search for potential disease mechanisms with the aim to find preventable factors," the researcher explained.
Ann Rheum Dis 2009;68:222-227.
I''ll drink to that !!!Now, there's a study I wholeheartedly endorse. I don't need any more information, and in fact will refuse to read any rebuttals to this. [QUOTE=Bluehour]Now, there's a study I wholeheartedly endorse. I don't need any more information, and in fact will refuse to read any rebuttals to this. [/QUOTE]