Alcohol and low-back pain: a systematic literature review.
BACKGROUND
The role of lifestyle factors is an important issue in the prevention and treatment of disease. Although certain lifestyle factors in relation to low-back pain have evoked much interest, interest has not focused on alcohol consumption. An appraisal of the epidemiologic literature seems warranted.


OBJECTIVE
To establish if there is evidence in the literature for a causal link between alcohol consumption and low-back pain.


METHODS
Nine original research reports published between 1987 and 1995 were obtained through a MEDLINE search for the years 1992 to 1998, with various combinations of the terms "alcohol," "substance abuse," "life-style, " "risk factor," "epidemiology" and "low back pain." An additional manual search was made of relevant bibliographies without limitation for year of publication.


RESULTS
A systematic review was made of the epidemiologic literature to uncover any evidence for a causal relation between alcohol consumption and low-back pain.


RESULTS
None of the studies reported a positive link between alcohol consumption and low-back pain, and no positive gradient was found in studies that included an analysis of the dose-response. None of the studies was prospective in design.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol consumption does not seem to be associated with low-back pain, but well-designed specific alcohol/low-back pain-centered studies are lacking.
Leboeuf-Yde
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The Medical Research Unit in Ringkjobing County, Denmark.
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution