Alcohol consumption and risk of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis in women

Alcohol has been associated with both adverse and beneficial health effects generally, however, the relationship between alcohol consumption and hip osteoarthritis has been minimally studied. Researchers examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and hip osteoarthritis in women. The results are published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatology.Among women in the Nurses’ Health Study cohort in the US, alcohol consumption was assessed every 4 years, starting in 1980. Intake was computed as cumulative averages and simple updates with latency periods of 0-4 through 20-24 years. 83,383 women without diagnosed osteoarthritis in 1988 to June 2012 were followed. 1,796 cases of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis defined were identified by self-report of osteoarthritis with hip replacement.
Alcohol consumption was positively associated with hip osteoarthritis risk. Compared with nondrinkers, multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were HR 1.04 (95% CI 0.90, 1.19) for drinkers of >0 to <5 grams/day, HR 1.12 (95% CI 0.94, 1.33) for 5 to <10 grams/day, HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10, 1.56) for 10 to <20 grams/day, and HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.09, 1.64) for ≥20 grams/day. This association held in latency analyses of up to 16-20 years, and for alcohol consumption between 35-40 years of age. Independent of other alcoholic beverages, the multivariable HRs (per 10 grams of alcohol) were similar for individual types of alcohol intake (wine, liquor, and beer).Higher alcohol consumption was associated with greater incidence of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis in a dose-dependent manner in women, the study found.
Source: Marchand NE, Hu Y, Song M, Rosner BA, Karlson EW, Ratzlaff C, Lu B, Liang MH, Willett WC. Alcohol consumption and risk of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis in women. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023 Sep;75(9):1522-1531. doi.org/10.1002/art.42543.