title: A meta-analysis on alcohol drinking and the risk of Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: The role of alcohol intake in the risk of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is still largely unclear. To summarize the evidence on the issue, we carried out a meta-analysis of the available studies. We identified eight case-control and two cohort studies, including a total of 1488 cases of HL. We derived meta-analytic estimates using random-effects models, taking into account the correlation between estimates, and carried out a dose-risk analysis using nonlinear random-effects metaregression models. Compared with nondrinkers, the relative risk for alcohol consumers was 0.70 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-0.81] overall, 0.66 (95% CI, 0.56-0.78) among case-control, and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.63-1.33) among cohort studies. Compared with nondrinkers, the pooled relative risks were 0.71 (95% CI, 0.57-0.89) for light (i.e. ≤1 drink/day) and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.60-0.87) for moderate-to-heavy (i.e. >1 drink/day) alcohol drinking. This meta-analysis suggests a favourable effect of alcohol on HL, in the absence, however, of a dose-risk relationship. The inverse association was restricted to--or greater in--case-control as compared with cohort studies. This indicates caution in the interpretation of results.
authors.affiliation: Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tramacere
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pelucchi
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonifazi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bagnardi
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rota
authors.forename: Rino
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellocco
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Islami
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corrao
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffetta
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negri
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment