Dose-response relation between volume of drinking and alcohol-related diseases in male general hospital inpatients.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies investigating dose-response relations between volume of drinking and diseases have focused on single diseases only. Until now, the relation between the drinking volume and the risk of having any alcohol-attributable disease is largely unknown. The aim of the present study is to investigate to what extent is the risk of diseases with different alcohol-attributable fractions (AAFs) predicted by daily alcohol consumption (> 120 g, 61-120 g vs 31-60 g).


METHODS
The sample consisted of 805 inpatients classified as at-risk drinking, aged 18-64 years hailing from four general hospitals in North-eastern Germany. Inpatients were classified into three groups (AAF = 1, AAF < 1, AAF = 0). Group differences regarding alcohol-related variables, smoking, and demographics were analysed. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict the risk of diseases with AAF = 1 and AAF < 1.


RESULTS
In our sample, 26.6% of the inpatients showed a disease with AAF = 1, while 20.2% had a disease with AAF < 1. Inpatients consuming > 120 g, and inpatients consuming 61-120 g revealed significantly higher odds for diseases with AAF = 1 compared to inpatients consuming 31-60 g (OR = 6.30, CI = 3.55-11.26; OR = 2.91, CI = 1.64-5.13). Regarding diseases with AAF < 1, inpatients consuming > 120 g revealed significantly higher odds compared to the inpatients consuming 31-60 g (OR = 1.97, CI = 1.15-3.37).


CONCLUSIONS
A dose-response relation between the level of the drinking volume and the risk of diseases with AAF = 1 was found in this sample of inpatients from the general hospitals.
Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University of Greifswald, Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Germany.
Katharina
K
Lau
Jennis
J
Freyer-Adam
Beate
B
Coder
Jeannette
J
Riedel
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Rumpf
Ulrich
U
John
Ulfert
U
Hapke
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000431:Ethanol