Beer, Cider Linked to Higher Risk of Gout: Daily Dose

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Last week, we reported on findings from a study published in JAMA Network Open that assessed the consumption of total and specific alcoholic beverages in association with incident gout in men and women.

The study

Researchers assessed data from 179 828 men and 221 300 women (mean age, 56 years) enrolled in the UK Biobank study from 2006 to 2010 who were free of gout at baseline. To mitigate the potential for reverse causation, they excluded individuals who at baseline:

• had reduced alcohol intake for illness or ill health;

• self-rated as having poor health;

• had major cardiovascular disease, cancer, or kidney failure; or

• developed gout within the first 2 years of follow-up.

The findings

Among men, current drinkers demonstrated a higher risk for gout than never-drinkers (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.3-2.18), whereas among women, no significant differences were seen between current and never drinkers (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.67-1.03). Also, in current drinkers across sexes, researchers observed that higher total alcohol intake was associated with a higher risk of gout, but to a greater extent in men (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.84-2.30) than in women (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.12-1.61).

Drinking champagne or white wine, beer or cider, and spirits each was associated with a higher risk of gout among both sexes, with beer or cider carrying the greatest risk per 1 pint per day (men: HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.53-1.67; women: HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.02-2.57).

Authors' comment

"The observed sex-specific difference in the association of total alcohol consumption with incident gout may be owing to differences between men and women in the types of alcohol consumed rather than biological differences."

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