title: The relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among patients with diabetes: the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol consumption is a common behavior. Little is known about the relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among people with diabetes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and glycemic control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey follow-up study, 1994-1997, among Kaiser Permanente Northern California members.
  
  
  METHODS
  38,564 adult diabetes patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported alcohol consumption, and hemoglobin A1C (A1C), assessed within 1 year of survey date. Linear regression of A1C by alcohol consumption was performed, adjusted for sociodemographic variables, clinical variables, and diabetes disease severity. Least squares means estimates were derived.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariate-adjusted models, A1C values were 8.88 (lifetime abstainers), 8.79 (former drinkers), 8.90 (<0.1 drink/day), 8.71 (0.1-0.9 drink/day), 8.51 (1-1.9 drinks/day), 8.39 (2-2.9 drinks/day), and 8.47 (>/=3 drinks/day). Alcohol consumption was linearly (p < 0.001) and inversely (p = 0.001) associated with A1C among diabetes patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol consumption is inversely associated with glycemic control among diabetes patients. This supports current clinical guidelines for moderate levels of alcohol consumption among diabetes patients. As glycemic control affects incidence of complications of diabetes, the lower A1C levels associated with moderate alcohol consumption may translate into lower risk for complications.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, Oakland, CA 94612, USA. Ameena.T.Ahmed@kp.org
authors.forename: Ameena T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Karter
authors.forename: E Margaret
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Warton
authors.forename: Jennifer U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.forename: Constance M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Weisner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin