Prospective study of alcohol consumption and the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
Alcohol intake reduces intraocular pressure, a risk factor for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). We investigated whether alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of POAG.


METHODS
We followed female nurses from 1980 and male health professionals from 1986 to 2002. Eligible participants were 40+ years old, did not have POAG, and reported receiving eye examinations during follow-up. Information on alcohol consumption, potential confounders and POAG diagnoses were updated by using biennial questionnaires. We identified 856 self-reported POAG cases that were confirmed with medical record review. Cohort-specific and pooled analyses across cohorts were conducted to calculate multivariable rate ratios (RR) of POAG.


RESULTS
Alcohol consumption<30 g/day did not influence POAG risk: compared with non-drinkers, the pooled RRs were 0.99 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.83-1.19) for drinking<10 g/day, 0.96 (95% CI: 0.76-1.22) for 10-19 g/day, and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.68-1.33) for 20-29 g/day. Although there were suggestive inverse associations with drinking>30 g/day (RR=0.71), this was not significant (95% CI: 0.49-1.04), and no significant linear associations were detected. Risks of POAG did not differ by type of alcoholic beverage consumed. To evaluate the potential for detection bias, we controlled for additional factors, such as frequency of eye exams, but results were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
In this large prospective study of men and women, alcohol consumption did not influence the risk of POAG.
Kang
Jae H
JH
Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. nhjhk@channing.harvard.edu
Willett
Walter C
WC
Rosner
Bernard A
BA
Hankinson
Susan E
SE
Pasquale
Louis R
LR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology