Alcohol consumption tied to greater risk of total hip replacement in women
A study published in Arthritis and Rheumatology, entitled "Alcohol consumption and risk of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis in women" by a team of researchers led by Dr Marchand et al., has concluded that there is a positive association between alcohol consumption and hip osteoarthritis risk in women in a dose-dependent manner.
Long-term alcohol consumption can interfere with bone growth and replacement of bone tissue (i.e., remodeling), resulting in decreased bone density and increased risk of fracture. These effects may be exerted directly or indirectly through the many cell types, hormones, and growth factors that regulate bone metabolism. Alcohol consumption during adolescence reduces peak bone mass and can result in relatively weak adult bones that are more susceptible to fracture.
In this study, researchers examined the relation of alcohol consumption to hip osteoarthritis in women.
It is already known that alcohol negatively impacts health. It has been associated with both adverse and beneficial health. Its relation with hip osteoarthritis needs more data and clarification.
Women of Nurses’ Health Study cohort in the United States were assessed every four years for alcohol consumption.
The team followed 83,383 women without diagnosed osteoarthritis from 1988 to June 2012. They identified 1,796 cases of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis, defined by self-reported osteoarthritis with hip replacement.
The study results could be summarised as follows:
- Alcohol consumption had a positive association with the risk of hip osteoarthritis.
- When compared with nondrinkers, multivariable hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 1.04 for drinkers of >0 to <5 grams/day, 1.12 for 5 to <10 grams/day, 1.31 for 10 to <20 grams/day, and 1.34 for ≥20 grams/day.
- This association is held in latency analyses of up to 16-20 years and for alcohol consumption between 35-40 years of age.
- The multivariable hazard ratios were similar for individual types of alcohol intake.
Concluding further, they said in our study, we found that higher alcohol consumption is associated with a greater incidence of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis. This association in women was observed in a dose-dependent manner.
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