title: Alcohol and the risk of Barrett's esophagus: a pooled analysis from the International BEACON Consortium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Results from studies examining the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of Barrett's esophagus have been inconsistent. We assessed the risk of Barrett's esophagus associated with total and beverage-specific alcohol consumption by pooling individual participant data from five case-control studies participating in the international Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium.
  
  
  METHODS
  For analysis, there were 1,282 population-based controls, 1,418 controls with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and 1,169 patients with Barrett's esophagus (cases). We estimated study-specific odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), education, smoking status, and GERD symptoms. Summary risk estimates were obtained by random-effects models. We also examined potential effect modification by sex, BMI, GERD symptoms, and cigarette smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For comparisons with population-based controls, although there was a borderline statistically significant inverse association between any alcohol consumption and the risk of Barrett's esophagus (any vs. none, summary OR=0.77, 95% CI=0.60-1.00), risk did not decrease in a dose-response manner (Ptrend=0.72). Among alcohol types, wine was associated with a moderately reduced risk of Barrett's esophagus (any vs. none, OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.52-0.98); however, there was no consistent dose-response relationship (Ptrend=0.21). We found no association with alcohol consumption when cases were compared with GERD controls. Similar associations were observed across all strata of BMI, GERD symptoms, and cigarette smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with findings for esophageal adenocarcinoma, we found no evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk of Barrett's esophagus.
authors.affiliation: 1] Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA [2] Cancer Control Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Aaron P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Thrift
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Lesley A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Liam J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Whiteman
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Shaheen
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Oakland Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Corley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult